WWE Monday Night Raw will air on Monday, August 31, 2026, but unlike a normal episode, the show will not be live. WWE will tape the episode on Friday, August 28, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, as part of a double taping of Raw and SmackDown. Rocket Arena lists the combined event for a 5:30 p.m. ET start on August 28, while the August 31 Raw episode is expected to air in its regular Monday night slot on Netflix. WWE's official event page currently advertises Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Jade Cargill, Tiffany Stratton, Gunther and Trick Williams among the wrestlers scheduled for the Cleveland event.
The Cleveland taping is part of WWE's altered television schedule heading into September. Raw was originally scheduled to take place at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina on August 31, while the September 4 SmackDown had been scheduled for Cincinnati. The Charlotte event was later moved to a February 2027 SmackDown date, while the Cincinnati show was canceled. WWE will instead record both the August 31 Raw and September 4 SmackDown episodes during its August 28 stop in Cleveland.
The reason behind the schedule change is to give WWE wrestlers and staff some time off after the summer schedule before the company heads out for its upcoming tour of Mexico and South America. WWE still has live events scheduled for August 29 in Savannah, Georgia, and August 30 in North Charleston, South Carolina. After those shows, the roster will have a break before Sunday Night's Main Event on September 6 in Atlanta.
WWE Raw 8/31/26 Confirmed Match Card
No matches or segments have been officially confirmed for the August 31 episode of WWE Raw as of now. The card should become clearer following the August 24 episode of Raw in Ottawa. We will update the confirmed match card once WWE announces matches or segments for the August 31 show.
Predicted WWE Raw Card – August 31, 2026
Oba Femi and Bron Breakker Could Have Their Final Confrontation
With Oba Femi vs. Bron Breakker scheduled for Sunday Night's Main Event on September 6, the August 31 Raw will be WWE's final Monday night show before their match in Atlanta.
The two are already scheduled to sign the contract for their match on August 24. What happens during that segment could determine how WWE handles them one week later. If their contract signing ends in another confrontation, WWE could keep both men apart until August 31 and use Cleveland for their final face-to-face encounter. Rather than giving either man another lengthy match so close to September 6, a promo or confrontation would allow WWE to give viewers one last preview of Femi vs. Breakker before they meet in Atlanta.
Roman Reigns Could Find Out His Next World Heavyweight Championship Challenger
The World Heavyweight Championship No. 1 Contender's Tournament is another story that could play a large role on the August 31 Raw.
Penta faces LA Parka while Rey Fenix takes on Dragon Lee in the tournament semifinals on August 24. The tournament is being used to determine who challenges Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship when Raw heads to Mexico City on September 14. Depending on what WWE does with the semifinals in Ottawa, the August 31 episode could feature the tournament final or establish exactly when that final will take place.
If WWE holds the final in Cleveland, Roman Reigns could also become involved after the winner is decided. That would allow WWE to move directly toward the September 14 World Heavyweight Championship match and begin the champion's next rivalry.
Where and When to Watch WWE Raw
The August 31, 2026 episode of WWE Raw will be taped on Friday, August 28 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The arena is advertising the event as “WWE RAW & SmackDown — Two Shows. One Night,” with the taping scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. ET. The taped episode of Monday Night Raw will air on Monday, August 31 on Netflix. Unlike the August 24 Raw, which has a special 6 p.m. ET start time because WWE is taping SmackDown afterward.
United States: Monday, August 31 on Netflix
United Kingdom & Ireland: Tuesday, September 1 on Netflix
India: Tuesday, September 1 on Netflix
Australia: Tuesday, September 1 on Netflix
Mexico: Monday, August 31 on Netflix
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