Coverage
Mitchell’s WWE Monday Night Raw Results & Report! (2/4/19)
Stephanie McMahon returns to Raw, and invites The Man to stop by!
Stephanie McMahon returns to Raw! And not only that, but she wants The Man, Becky Lynch, to make her own return. Will Becky oblige the former commissioner?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Ronda Rousey VS Liv Morgan w/ The Riott Squad; Rousey wins.
- Ronda Rousey VS Sarah Logan w/ The Riott Squad; Rousey wins.
- Raw Tag Team Championship #1 Contenders Fatal 4 Way: Heavy Machinery VS Lucha House Party VS The Revival VS The B-Team; The Revival wins and will challenge Bobby Roode & Chad Gable for the titles.
- WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber Qualifier: Sasha Banks & Bayley VS Alicia Fox & Nikki Cross; Banks & Bayley win and enter the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber match.
- Elias VS Jeff Jarrett w/ Road Dogg; Elias wins.
- Finn Balor VS Bobby Lashley w/ Lio Rush; changed to…
- Finn Balor VS Lio Rush w/ Bobby Lashley; Finn wins.
- EC3 VS Dean Ambrose; EC3 wins.
- Braun Strowman & Kurt Angle VS Drew McIntyre & Baron Corbin; McIntyre & Corbin win, by disqualification.
PLAY BY PLAY
Stephanie McMahon starts Raw in the ring!
And without further ado- Well, no ado at all, THE MAN is here! Becky Lynch is on Raw once again, per the invite of the Billion Dollar Queen. However, Becky’s leg isn’t feeling any better since last week, but she doesn’t let it bother her. Stephanie continues and introduces Becky as the winner of the Women’s Rumble! But as to why Stephanie wanted Becky to return, she brings up how Becky challenged Ronda Rousey for the Raw Women’s Championship face-to-face. The footage rolls as Ronda wants Becky at 100%. Becky may be The Man, but Ronda’s a household name and owns the ring when she walks in.
Stephanie was impressed to see Becky just smirk at an angry Ronda. Well why wouldn’t she be smiling? Becky has the fans as a reason, but that Rumble win and Wrestlemania main event are good reasons, too. Stephanie is definitely on Becky’s side after what Ronda has done to her. But Stephanie does point out the knee brace and bit of a hobble. Is Becky okay? Yeah, she’s fine. Really? Yes, really. Well okay, but Stephanie does want to show when that leg got hurt. The Women’s Rumble, Becky and Charlotte stare down but Nia Jax blasts Becky down. Becky shows heart and finishes the match to win it. That’s just what Becky does. But again, she refuses medical attention over that leg. Becky won the Rumble on one good leg and will fight that way, too. She doesn’t want doctors to come near her.
Yes, Stephanie knows about how the doctors sidelined her after the #FaceBreaker incident. She was there to see it all herself. But Stephanie can’t risk it if Becky isn’t cleared by the medical staff. Fans boo and Becky considers what Stephanie’s getting at. Becky sees what’s going on. Becky’s the glitch in the plan, “but here I am. And I’m not moving for anyone!” This is what Becky’s fought her whole life for! What does Stephanie know about struggle? Stephanie’s never had to fight for a thing in her life, has she?! No, because she’s Daddy’s Girl who’s never fought for a thing but is trying to stop Becky from fighting for everything! But Becky rose up, earned her place, and there is nothing Stephanie or any “stupid doctor” can do about it!
Stephanie admits Becky earned her way tot he top. But it is a liability to let Becky compete in her condition. The doctors will give her the OK and she can compete, unless the knee’s worse than Becky lets on. And whether Becky believes it or not, Stephanie cares about her. This is the biggest match in Mania history! Fans want that match of Ronda VS Becky! But Becky has to be cleared instead of thick-headed. Stephanie pleads with Becky. It’s not a trick, it’s not a game, it’s Becky’s well-being. Will Becky visit the doctors? Not at the expense of her moment. Then Stephanie will have to suspend her until she changes her mind. Becky warns Stephanie that if she says that again, she’s not gonna be responsible for her actions.
Why is this so hard for Becky? Don’t make Stephanie do this. Then don’t. Then will she go to the doctor? No. Then effective immediately, Becky is suspended. Becky knocks Stephanie off her feet! And rains down rights! And puts her in the Disarm-Her! But her bad leg gives out. Referees run in but Becky fights them off. And the same for security! Becky gets at Stephanie again but her bad leg helps Stephanie get away! Becky hobbles while Stephanie retreats with the officials. The Man has a bad knee but an even worse temper. She’s fighting through the pain, but will be fighting for the title after this?
Becky Lynch is being escorted from the arena.
The Man was suspended, so she has to go. But then along comes Ronda Rousey. The two stare down and Ronda says Becky tests Ronda’s professionalism every time they meet. Ronda will keep her temper in check, but what did Becky’s temper get her? A suspension and the main event being put on the line. Becky should rest up so she can take the whooping her “Woe is Me” ass can whine about later. Plus, she’d “snap that b*tch.” Becky just shrugs Ronda’s attitude off as she continues her exit. Will Becky be forced to recover because of this suspension?
Ronda Rousey VS Liv Morgan w/ The Riott Squad!
The Baddest Woman on the Planet is already riled up, but the Juvenile Delinquent and her friends are laughing it off. Will Liv be laughing after her run-in with Rowdy Ronda?
The bell rings but Liv bails out. The Squad is already trolling Ronda with this strategy, but Ronda stays in the ring and keeps her calm. Liv returns but then ducks back out. Fans boo but Liv laughs and skips about. Liv returns again, but then dodges to smile with her blue raspberry tongue. Liv and Ronda circle and Ronda catches Liv this time! Ronda throws Liv but Liv slips out of the ring. Sarah Logan distracts and Liv attacks, but Ronda swings on her. Liv goes Matrix but Ronda hammers her down! Ronda puts on the armbar, Liv taps! Ronda wins!
Winner: Ronda Rousey, by submission
The Baddest Woman made quick work of little Liv, but she looks eager for more. Does everyone have a problem with her? From the fans booing to the Squad glaring, Ronda is fed up with this. She dares Sarah to do something about it, and Sarah accepts the challenge!
Ronda Rousey VS Sarah Logan w/ The Riott Squad!
The Kentucky Viking steps up, but will she fare any better than Liv?
The bell rings, Sarah rushes and powers Ronda to a corner! Sarah rams her shoulder in over and over then lifts Ronda up. Ronda gets the armbar takedown! Sarah scrambles to a ropebreak and the Squad hurries to get her to safety. Fans boo and Ronda paces while we go to break.
Raw returns and Ronda has Sarah in a triangle! Sarah deadlifts Ronda up and buckle bombs her! Sarah’s free and Ronda’s got a scratch on her face. Ronda covers up as Sarah stomps, and Ronda fights back with hands and a judo throw. Ronda throws Sarah again and then hammers away! Then the ARMBAR! Sarah taps, Ronda wins again!
Winner: Ronda Rousey, by submission
That’s two fights in a row for two wins in a row. Ronda’s angry, but she won’t get satisfaction with Becky out of action. However, Squad Leader Ruby wants to see if she can capitalize by being Ronda’s third opponent tonight. She and Ronda stare down, but Ruby backs off. Will Becky be allowed to return so that she and Ronda can both get what they want at Wrestlemania?
Backstage interview with The Riott Squad.
Why did Ruby run away from Ronda? Ruby didn’t run from anything! Ruby has no doubt she can and will beat Ronda, but it will be for the Raw Women’s Championship! But she needed to be with her friends first. Ronda will have to wait, because the Squad’s bond can’t be broken. Ronda’s an opportunist, and knows nothing about that. If Becky doesn’t return, will Ruby get her title shot?
Backstage interview with Sasha Banks & Bayley.
The Boss & Hug Connection have their qualifier tonight, but will the losses against Ronda Rousey have any impact on that? Bayley keeps Sasha calm, and points out that each of them brought Ronda to her limits. These two are great alone, but together they’re the best. The tag title opportunity is a dream the WWE Universe willed into existence. Come Elimination Chamber, the #LegitHuggable duo will make history. But then Alicia Fox and Nikki Cross come by. They won’t let Banks and Bayley make it to the Chamber, because Foxy embraces chaos. Chaos doesn’t judge. Chaos is fair and square, and the #LegitHuggable friends will find out you don’t #CrossTheFox! Will crazy and crazier come out the winners tonight? Or will the Boss & Hug Connection take one step closer to history?
Raw Tag Team Championship #1 Contenders Fatal 4 Way: Heavy Machinery VS Lucha House Party VS The Revival VS The B-Team!
Tucker Knight & Otis Dozovic, Lince Dorado & Gran Metalik, Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder, or Bo Dallas & Curt Axel. Which team will take the win to take on the GLORIOUS tag team champions, Bobby Roode & Chad Gable?
Curt Axel and Metalik start with the bell. Metalik kicks then rolls Axel, ONE! Axel backs off but comes back to throw a knee. He throws hands and gets the fans going on “B-Team! B-Team! GO GO GO!” Axel whips but Metalik handsprings back. Metalik kicks then runs the ropes. Lince tags in and Metalik dropkicks Axel down. Licne runs and gets a boost to missile dropkick Axel. Dash tags in but gets a huricanrana pin! TWO, and Lince arm-drags Dash around. Lince has Dash in the armlock while fans rally with “Lucha! Lucha!” Roode & Gable watch backstage as Dash pulls at Lince’s mask. Dash brings Lince around to whip but runs into a boot. Tucker tags in off Lince to waistlock slam Dash! And then again! He rolls to a cover, ONE!
Tucker squeezes Dash and fans cheer for the power of “Steaks and Weights!” Tucker and Dash go around and Tucker shifts to a headlock. Tag to Dozer! Heavy Machinery double whip and run Dash over with shoulders. Then, Boom Shaka Loo! Double headbutts! Cover, TWO! Dozer keeps on Dash with a spinning scoop slam, then brings him around for a whip to the corner. Tag to Tucker and Dozer whips Tucker in for a corner splash. Tucker feeds Dash to Dozer then dropkicks Dawson out. B-Team runs in but they get double scoops that send them right out of the ring! Lucha House Party runs in but are put on the apron. So Lince and Metalik Double ASAI onto everyone else!
Dawson runs into body shots, then Heavy Machinery march for the big belly sandwich! Belly bump celebration, but then they scoop Dawson to toss onto the pile! Heavy Machinery has control while we go to break.
Raw returns as Dawson brings up Metalik for a big back suplex. Cover, TWO! Metalik crawls but Dawson keeps on him. Tag to Dash and Dawson feeds Metalik to Dash’s knees. Dash toys with Metalik but Metalik CHOPS him back! Dash kicks low then scoops Metalik, tag to Dawson for a tag team gutbuster! Cover, TWO! Dawson keeps on Metalik with a chinlock. Fans rally with “Lucha! Lucha!” and Metalik feeds off the energy. Metalik fights with body shots and powers out of the headlock. Dawson blocks the boot and flips Metalik but Lince tags in. Lince kicks back then leaps with the crossbody! Lince hits Dash then boots Dawson, tilt-o-whirl headscissors! Dash returns, DROPSAULT! Cover, TWO! Lince keeps his focus but Dawson knees low. Dawson whips but Lince dodges, DOUBLE Golden Rewind for the Revival!
Lince fires up, aims but Dozer tags in! So Lince dropkicks him then DIVES onto Dash! Dash sends Lince into the barriers! Metalik runs in but into The B-Team’s back suplex to neckbreaker! Dozer bulldozes The B-Team! Dozer goes corner to corner to squash Bo! Bo is down, Dozer pumps it up, here comes the Caterpillar! Fans fire up as Dozer covers, but Axel saves Bo. Axel runs into Tucker’s trapped-arm overhead suplex! Dozer picks up Bo, Tucker runs but Dash dumps him out. Dozer slams Bo and hits Dash, but Dawson tags in. The Revival dump Dozer out! Bo runs in but into a school boy. Bo slips through to a cradle, TWO! Dash tags in, SHATTER MACHINE! Cover, The Revival win!
Winners: The Revival, Dash Wilder pinning; new #1 Contenders to the Raw Tag Team Championships
The #TopGuys get another shot! Will this opportunity be the one that gets them tag title gold?
Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder meet up backstage.
Ryder tells Hawkins not to worry about The Revival. They’ll get back at them next time. Next time? If anyone else was Ryder’s partner, Ryder would’ve been part of that match, and maybe even won. Hawkins is toxic bad luck. This reunion won’t work. It’s just one loss! No, it’s 250+ for Hawkins! Why does Ryder want to team with Hawkins anyway? Ryder points out that everyone got his name wrong. It was “Zackh”. How is that even possible? Zack’s been here 13 years and people forgot how to spell his name?! He’s at the bottom like Hawkins. So they’re both losers? Yes, but not for long. They started here together, Major Brothers, Edge Heads, youngest WWE tag team champions ever! The losing streak will lose with them together. Then maybe they can get the name right.
Superstars show support to Kurt Angle.
The Olympic Gold Medalist has something to say about his future with the WWE. What will he say live on television after the break?
Kurt Angle heads to the ring!
Portland greets Angle with the kind “You Suck!” chants, and Angle thanks them for the ovation. “Intensity, Integrity, and Intelligence.” Yes, Angle’s 3 I’s have been his way through both the good and the bad. Angle accomplished everything he’s wanted, from the European Championship to the WWE Hall of Fame. He tore the house down with Shawn Michaels. He sprayed the ring with milk. And he was even a Raw GM that gave everyone a chance to settle things in the ring. Angle even found the son he never knew he had. And best of all, the fans always reminded him, “You Suck!” So, thanks?
But lately, the 3 I’s were replaced by 3 D’s: Doubt, Defeat, and Depression. Angle’s return didn’t go the way he pictured, namely with Drew McIntyre and Baron Corbin. Angle wanted to show he still had it, and shut those two up for good. In his long career, Angle’s beaten the best, and yes he won the gold medal with a “broken freakin’ neck.” But there is one opponent he cannot defeat: Father Time. There comes a point in everyone’s career where- Baron Corbin interrupts!
Corbin wants Angle to wrap this up. Does Angle want everyone to feel sorry for him? Angle did this to himself. This speech should’ve been the Hall of Fame speech two years ago, and then no one sees Angle again. But no, Angle signed a contract to be a GM. And then instead of just making matches, he started getting in them. But look at him now. Angle is a “broken-down shadow of a man.” Well this old man will break Corbin’s ankle in two! Angle dares Corbin to get in the ring! But first, Drew McIntyre appears! I
t seems Angle can’t help himself. He’s accepted his fate, and yet he turns around wanting to fight the man who beat him last week. People used to look at Angle and saw a warrior. But McIntyre saw fear as Angle tapped out to his own ankle lock! McIntyre also thought he’d never see Angle again, yet Angle still showed up. Angle will keep showing up until someone does something “very drastic”. So Portland, shut up and get the cameras ready for the last time you see Angle in the WWE again. McIntyre and Corbin vow to put him down for good! These two flank the ring, but here comes BRAUN!
The Monster Among Men dislikes both McIntyre and Corbin, and throws hands with the Scottish Terminator! Angle throws hands with Corbin and clotheslines him out! Strowman throws an arm chair at Corbin! Corbin is surrounded so he runs to the ring. Corbin and McIntyre are in retreat! Strowman and Angle stand tall, will they be united against McIntyre & Corbin?
WWE and Raw celebrate Black History Month.
Superstars go to the National Civil Rights Museum to learn of all the powerful moments in the struggle for ethnic equality. Martin Luther King Jr. is an inspiration to all peoples, may his dream live forever.
The Architect is going to Wrestlemania!
Seth Rollins was able to #BurnItDown in the Men’s Rumble match and win it all, but he had to decide. Would he challenge the New Daniel Bryan for the newly redesigned WWE World Championship? Or would he challenge the reining, defending, undisputed Universal Champion, The Beast, Brock Lesnar? Rollins chose Lesnar by telling him to his face with a fight! But Lesnar would win that brawl and F5 Rollins onto that very title! Will Rollins recover and redesign his game plan in time for Wrestlemania?
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber Qualifier: Sasha Banks & Bayley VS Alicia Fox & Nikki Cross!
The two teams said their pieces earlier, but now it’s time to back up those words. Who will be the better combination and move on towards the Elimination Chamber’s historic match?
But as the teams make their entrances, Fox and Cross attack from behind! They hammer Bayley down and then drag Sasha out! Fans boo as the beating continues, but Bayley fights back! She knocks Foxy down then throws Crazy Cross to the ramp. Bayley goes back after Foxy but Cross comes back over. She and Foxy mug Bayley until more referees appear. But they can’t stop Fox and Cross from throwing Bayley into the LED wall! Then they stomp Sasha, and toss Bayley down the ramp! Will this keep the Boss & Hug Connection from competing? Will this crazy combination qualify by default?
Raw returns and this match IS still on! Bayley lariats Nikki down then covers, TWO! Bayley keeps on Cross in the corner with big shoulders. She lets up at 3 to snapmare and sliding lariat! Cover, TWO! Bayley drags Cross away but Cross pushes her away. Bayley still scoops and slams, covers, TWO! Cross hops on Bayley for a sleeper hold! Bayley backs up but Alicia tags in to also be a sleeper. Bayley throws her off and crossbodies them both! Cover on Alicia, TWO! Alicia throws forearms then whips Bayley to a corner. Alicia runs but is flapjack’d on buckles. Bayley hops up and hits a flying uppercut! Cover, TWO! Bayley keeps her cool and throws Alicia with a saido suplex! Cover but Cross breaks it. Bayley throws Cross with a saido!
Bayley puts Alicia on the apron and hotshots her back in! Cross drags Alicia out but Bayley pursues to fetch her. Bayley fights Cross off but walks into the scissor kick! Cover, TWO!! Bayley lives, and Sasha’s finally on the corner. Alicia wraps Bayley in a chinlock but fans rally up. Bayley endures and fights her way up. Alicia headbutts Bayley down then drags her over. Tag to Cross and the two put Bayley in the Tree of Woe! Cross stomps a mudhole into Bayley then tags to Alicia. Alicia kicks away on Bayley and Bayley falls out of the Tree. Alicia stomps Bayley more then tags Cross. Cross drags Bayley into a half nelson chinbar. Fans rally up again as Bayley endures. Bayley fights her way back up, but Cross clubs her down. Cross stomps Bayley then tags Alicia.
Alicia and Cross put Bayley back in the Tree, get their shots in then tag again. Cross stomps away but Bayley sits up to fight back! Cross tackles Bayley into a corner for shoulders. She backs off for a corner splash and bulldog! Cover, TWO! Bayley lives and frustrates Cross. Cross shoves Bayley out of the ring then leaps for a crossbody! Cross roars and slaps herself around while she stalks Bayley. Sasha saves Bayley and Cross runs into post! Alicia gets Cross back in to tag in while Bayley crawls over. Alicia stops Bayley but Bayley rolls her up! Bayley & Sasha win!!
Winners: Sasha Banks & Bayley, Bayley pinning; enter the Elimination Chamber Tag Match
The #LegitHuggable duo survive the chaos to qualify! Will Banks & Bayley win it all to make history?
Backstage interview with Apollo Crews.
Is he surprised to see Kurt Angle competing tonight? Apollo didn’t think that was Angle’s aim but he’s happy to see Angle’s trying again. But given his string of losses, is it wise for him to compete? It’s Kurt Angle! Even he has some off nights. Then even with Braun on his side, what are Angle’s chances tonight? Everyone has a chance of winning. But then Drake Maverick and Rezar come by. They don’t think Angle has a chance of winning, Apollo’s just fooling himself. Hey how does Rezar get his puppet to talk? Does he pull strings? Or put his hand up the- Rezar wants to fight but Maverick keeps the peace. Apollo’s just upset because his Olympic hero keeps letting everyone down. Will we be let down again with another Angle defeat?
Elias VS Jeff Jarrett w/ Road Dogg!
Oh you didn’t know~?! The Drifter has tried to differentiate himself from Double J since debuting in the WWE, but then Jarrett and the D O Double G would return to bring it all back. Elias got a smash hit off of both Roadie and Jarrett with his guitars last week, but now we settle things in a match! Will Double J #WalkWithElias?
Before the match, Road Dogg himself welcomes Portland to the Dogg House! “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages”, we proudly present the Road Dogg, Jessie James! Dogg may be bigger and grayer, but this isn’t about him. This is about the Hall of Famer’s return! Jeff Jarrett makes his entrance, armed with a guitar! “Howdy folks, Double J here!” Yes, J E Double F, J A Double R, E Double T makes a wrestling return to the WWE, but Dogg brings up the singing. Time to finish karaoke with the WWE Universe! But then Elias interrupts someone else for once! Jarrett, Dogg, that song no one knows the words hasn’t aged well. Just like them. That hurts. Does Jarrett even play guitar? Shouldn’t Dogg be on SmackDown tanking their ratings? Elias would rather watch another Maroon 5 performance than this.
Truth be told, Elias would’ve done the Super Bowl, but he made the mistake of turning that down for Portland, a city too insignificant to have a football team. Elias wanted to save the night with his own performance, but he remembered how ungrateful the WWE Universe is. You give him a standing ovation, nothing less! But no, Elias won’t sing tonight in Portland. As for Jarrett and Dogg, they can keep up the nostalgia act but it won’t change the truth: WWE stands for “Walk With Elias!” Jarrett has Elias wait. In the immortal words of a great rival, “Hey chico, don’t sing it. Bring it!” And if you ain’t down with that, they’ve got two words for ya! “SUCK IT!” Jarrett and Elias fight outside the ring!
Jarrett puts Elias in but the ref keeps them apart until the bell. The bell rings and the brawl is back on! Jarrett rocks Elias right out of the ring but Elias gets spooked by the Roadie. Elias gets in again but then right back out, and we go to break.
Raw returns and Elias throws Jarrett around the outside. Elias puts Jarrett in the ring and CHOPS him around. Elias whips but Jarrett boot shim away. Jarrett throws hands, whips and hip tosses Elias down! Jarrett clotheslines and whips again, but Elias dodges to hit a big knee strike! Elias grins as he mocks the strut. Then he tells Dogg to “Suck it!” Elias stomps Jarrett then drags him up for a whip. He elbows Jarrett then covers, TWO! Elias sits Jarrett up to tell him who’s better, then wraps on a chinlock. Fans rally for Double J and Jarrett powers up. Jarrett fights but Elias knees and suplexes Jarrett up and over! Cover, TWO! Elias trash talks Roadie but Jarrett hits Elias with body shots. Jarrett whips Elias but misses in the corner. Elias kicks Jarrett and rains down rights. Elias leaps for a big elbow drop, covers, TWO!
Fans rally but Elias puts Jarrett back in a chinlock. Jarrett fights out again but Elias reverses the whip. Elias puts Jarrett in a sleeper! Jarrett jawbreakers free! Elias kicks Road Dogg just because! Fans boo but Elias turns around to get punches from Jarrett! Jarrett has Elias reeling, then he whips for a big clothesline! Jarrett hits Elias with the straddle attack on the ropes. Double J struts, kicks, but Elias blocks. Jarrett enziguris! Dogg gets hit again, and Elias gets Jarrett with Drift Away! Cover, Elias wins!
Winner: Elias, by pinfall
The Drifter shows up the supposed greatest singer and greatest wrestler, but now Road Dogg gets Elias back for those sucker punches! He whips but Elias reverses, only for Dogg to come back with jabs! Dogg pops, locks and drops Elias! Dogg aims at Elias from across the way, and Jarrett has a guitar, too. Elias glares at Dogg, but Dogg tells him “Wait! Suck it!” Jarrett SMASHES Elias with the guitar! Ain’t he great? Jarrett may have lost this battle, but will he win the war on this Road to Wrestlemania?
Dana Brooke finds Natalya backstage.
The Total Package apologizes for the loss in their tag team match last week. It was their chance at the Women’s Tag Team Championships, so that makes her feel even worse. Natalya doesn’t respond. Is this because Dana said she’s better than Natty? Sorry but get over it! It was just something to pump them both up about it, y’know? Well, fine, silent treatment. Not even seeing she’s here. But Dana’s here. Dana is gonna make a match with Natty so they can prove Dana belongs! Oh, Natty had AirPods in her ears. Well, Natty’s in for quite the surprise. Will Dana prove she’s main roster material? Or will the Queen of Harts trump her efforts?
Backstage interview with Finn Balor.
After his match with Brock Lesnar and then the confrontation with Bobby Lashley, he really doesn’t look good. He’s medically cleared but at what point does he put pride aside for the sake of his health? Finn says the Irish are famously stubborn when wounded. He and Becky both. Finn’s elbow hurts from the Kimura. Finn’s ribs hurt from the beating. People told him to stay home, but Finn took the best punishments and got back up. Lashley sees him as an easy target, but Finn won’t be bullied. Finn won’t stop pushing forward, he’ll just take the fight to Lashley like he did Lesnar. And first chance he gets, he’ll even take that Intercontinental Championship.
Finn Balor VS Bobby Lashley w/ Lio Rush!
As Finn just said, he wants to take the fight to the bigger men. But the Hype Man of the Hour loves to remind us the Rocky Mountain Machine isn’t just a wrestler, he’s a fighter! Will Finn survive a fight with a fighter? Or will he be 0-2 against behemoths?
Lio has a mic and wants Finn to take a look at himself. He looks like he’s a mummy yet he thinks he has a chance against the Almighty? This isn’t David VS Goliath, this is Mouse VS Truck! Be real, Finn. Lashley curls dumbbells heavier than you! Finn shouldn’t even think about the IC title.
Lashley says Finn had his shot against Lesnar and couldn’t win. Lashley’s better than Lesnar. He can beat Lesnar in a wrestling match, in a fight, and in his sleep! Finn doesn’t deserve to be in a ring with him. Instead, Finn should fight people his own size. There’s no match with Lashley tonight, because Finn will take on Lio Rush. And maybe if Finn’s entertaining enough, he’ll get the title match he wants. The 24 Year Old Piece of Gold makes his Raw in-ring debut against the Extraordinary Man! Will Lashley see something he likes?
But before the bell, Lashley kicks Finn down low! Lashley puts Finn in the corner and rams his shoulders in! Then he clubs and stomps Finn down! Fans boo while Lashley and Lio fist bump. The referee checks on Finn, but Lio just heaps on the trash talk. Finn wants this match, the bell rings, Lio rushes right at him! Lio stomps and punches away in the corner but backs off at 4. Lashley cheers Lio on but Finn grabs Lio by the head! Finn puts Lio in the corner but Lio kicks the bad ribs! Lio keeps Finn down with elbows and a rain of right hands. Lio kicks Finn in the ribs again then eggs Finn on. Finn catches a kick to trip Lio! Finn stomps away on Lio now! Lio bails out but Finn fires up to wreck him with a dropkick!
Finn keeps moving, but Lashley trips him up and yanks him out! The referee reprimands Lashley and EJECTS him! The Rocky Mountain Machine has to leave, and now Lio will be alone with Finn! Fans taunt Lashley but Lio runs and DIVES onto Finn! Lio blasts Finn and has control while we go to break.
Raw returns and Lio has Finn in a standing abdominal stretch. Finn endures while Lio digs his knuckles in. Finn pops out and turns but Lio knees him low. Lio stalks Finn to a corner and rams his shoulder in. Lio tries a third time but gets a knee from Finn! Finn gets to the apron but Lio runs over, only to get a swing kick! Lio’s down, Finn climbs up! Fans fire up but Lio trips Finn up on the top rope. Lio climbs up to join Finn and throws forearms. Fans duel as Lio SUPER STEINERS Finn down! Cover, TWO!! Finn survives and frustrates Lio! Lio goes after Finn again, wanting another abdominal stretch. Finn resists as they’re in a half-mount version, but Finn powers up and out to put the stretch on Lio! Finn hammers away on Lio with forearms and body shots! Then the double stomps!
Finn grits his teeth as he gasps for air. Finn runs, slingblade to Lio! But the fall hurts Finn back, and he crawls to Lio. Finn drags Lio up, 1916 but the ribs give out! Small package, TWO! Lio kicks and enziguris, then runs, backwards springboard stunner! Lio heads up top now, Final Hour but he has to roll through! Finn shotgun dropkicks Lio down! Finn climbs again, with Portland fired up, COUP DE GRACE!! Cover, Finn wins!
Winner: Finn Balor, by pinfall
But here comes Lashley! Finn gets away from big bully Bobby, but will a win over Lio get Finn the title shot?
Paige is here!
“Did you miss me?” She’s just glad they remember her. But there’s a very special coming out, Fighting With My Family. It’s based on Paige’s life and her family, and everyone will surely find it interesting. The trailer rolls and the story of the game-changing Anti-Diva is coming to theaters soon.
It’s time for another Moment of Bliss!
Raw returns as The Goddess, Alexa Bliss, sits on her set. Her guest is a “man of mystery”, a future star of the main roster, THE EC3! The Top One Percent walks right out onto the stage and puts his name up on the titantron. EC3 sits with Alexa and she gets a good look at him. Is he ready for his Moment of Bliss? Just look at him! He’s young, good-looking, and he has a very large… bank account! But he’s playing hard to get between Raw and SmackDown. While he’s here in the flesh, she wants to know. Which brand does he choose? Fans hope he says Raw since he’s here, but someone interrupts. It’s Nia Jax! Tamina follows the Irresistible Force out and Nia answers this for everyone: “No one cares.” Wow, not a single episode without an interruption. Nia would say she’s sorry, but she’s not.
And who wants to see this weird blind date she’s working on. What should be the headline is Nia’s great week! Nia broke boundaries by “entering” the Men’s Rumble, and how the Samoan Dynasty is in that Women’s Tag Team Championship Chamber match. They did that by beating Alexa. Mickie took the pin. Well, this is now Nia’s Moment of Bliss, okay? The world is talking about Nia, wondering what’s next. And Nia might fill in for Becky at Mania. But the siren sounds and here comes Dean Ambrose!
The Moral Compass saunters out and Nia is upset over her interruption being interrupted. Ambrose apologizes to Alexa. He doesn’t want to be out here any more than Alexa wants him out here. But he just has something to say to Nia. Obviously Nia has a huge crush on him. She’s not the first woman to not know how to handle his “raw sexual magnetism.” She doesn’t now how to deal with that and that’s okay. Nia just has to forget about him and just stay far, far away.
As for Alexa, help him figure out who this is. That’s EC3. Ambrose swats the mic out of EC3’s hand! EC3 gets up and Ambrose says this will be his interview now. Who is he? What does EC3 stand for? Where were ECs 1 and 2? Who does his hair? Is he a Creed fan? He seems like one. Why does EC3 just lurk around like a mutant Chippendale instead of getting in the ring? Ambrose dares EC3 to answer, so EC3 punches Ambrose out! EC3 heads to the ring, will Ambrose be his first #VictoryAfterVictory?
EC3 VS Dean Ambrose!
Raw returns as the bell rings on this match, and EC3 tackles Ambrose off his feet! EC3 throws hands then puts Ambrose in a corner. He bumps him off one buckle, then another buckle, but Ambrose kenes low. Ambrose runs but into a leaping lariat! EC3 scoop slams Ambrose, then has the fans say his name! Elbow drop! EC3 stalks Ambrose to a corner but Ambrose kicks and throws EC3 to a post! Ambrose taunts EC3 as he rains down rights. Ambrose lets up at the count of 4 but comes back to stomp a mudhole into him. He stops at 4 again but drags EC3 up to reel him in for a lariat! Cover, TWO! Ambrose wraps EC3 up in a chinlock. They go around and Ambrose traps an arm in a hammerlock. Fans duel as EC3 powers up and out with a snapmare.
EC3 throws hands with Ambrose and backs Ambrose down. He whips and elbows Ambrose down then hits a forearm smash! EC3 whips, reels Ambrose in, STO DDT! Fans fire up with EC3 as he runs corner to corner, but misses in the corner! Ambrose has EC3 in a bomb but EC3 jackknifes! EC3 wins!!
Winner: EC3, by pinfall
The Top One Percent wins his in-ring debut! Is this the first of many victories for the Best Here, the Best There and the Best Anywhere?
Backstage interview with Kurt Angle.
What would it mean to him to defeat the two men who “embarrassed” him 1v1 before? Well Angle wasn’t expecting to compete, but he was thinking of retiring. But then something told him to fight, and so that’s what he’s doing. He’s not fighting alone, either. The Monster Among Men comes over. Strowman never met a portapotty, a limousine, a semi-truck or a WWE superstar he didn’t want to destroy. Angle’s just glad to have him on his team. Strowman is honored to tag with Angle, and promises both McIntyre and Corbin will #GetTheseHands. Oh it’s true. It’s damn true. Will the Olympian and the Monster make the Scottish Terminator and Lone Wolf pay?
Mojo Rawley talks to himself again.
From football to Wall Street to the WWE, “they” have always wanted “you” to be part of the team. But being part of a team hasn’t really worked out well, has it? Mojo laughs at himself, but then shouts “Forget the team!” Now, it’s all about you. Will Mojo make the most of being all alone with himself?
Braun Strowman & Kurt Angle VS Drew McIntyre & Baron Corbin!
McIntyre and Corbin are no strangers when it comes to working together, especially when it comes to beating down Strowman. Of course, those were in situations where they outnumbered the Monster Among Men. Now things are even, and both Strowman and Angle are after some retribution. Will McIntyre & Corbin #GetTheseHands and some broken ankles? Or will they find a way to turn things around and get the better of the Hall of Famer again?
The teams sort out, and we begin with Corbin and Angle. They tie up and Angle gets a German Suplex already! Angle goes for the ankle but McIntyre saves Corbin. Strowman comes around and bulldozes McIntyre! Corbin runs into another German Suplex! Angle wants the ankle but Corbin rolls and shoves him away. McIntyre gives Angle the Glasgow Kiss! Angle is down while we take one last break.
Raw returns again and Corbin rocks Angle with a right. Fans boo but Corbin soaks up the heat. Corbin rocks Angle again, then mocks the fans for booing. Angle gets up but Corbin’s on him with a half nelson chinbar. Angle endures and McIntyre trash talks from the ropes. Strowman and the fans rally up for Angle, and Angle feeds off the energy. Corbin knees low and tags in McIntyre. They stomp a mudhole into Angle together, but let up at 4. McIntyre brings Angle out to CHOP him off his feet. McIntyre drags Angle up but Angle counter punches! But McIntyre powers him back tot he corner, tags Corbin, and Corbin rams shoulders into Angle. Corbin throws a punch but Angle counter punches again! Corbin knees low and whips but Angle reverses. But Corbin slides out then in while McIntyre tags, Corbin hits Strowman!
Angle goes after Corbin but McIntyre boots Angle down. McIntyre rains down hands but Strowman barges in. The referee keeps Strowman back but McIntyre gets distracted as he eggs Strowman on. Angle gets the Angle Slam but McIntyre slips out! McIntyre steals the Angle Slam! McIntyre laughs as he steals the ankle lock again! Angle endures his own hold all over again, but he refuses to quit! Angle crawls, reaches, and fans reach a fever pitch as Angle rolls McIntyre off! McIntyre stops from getting too close to Strowman, but that allows Angle to slip past and tag Strowman in! The Monster rallies on McIntyre and Corbin! Strowman headbutts McIntyre then runs corner to corner for the splash! And a clubbing forearm!
Fans fire up all over again as Strowman stalks McIntyre. Strowman scoops but McIntyre slips out. McIntyre shoves Strowman and Corbin dumps Strowman out. Tag to Corbin, and he leaps on Strowman with ax handles! Corbin soaks up the heat as he throws Strowman into the post. Corbin puts Strowman into the other post, then rams him into barriers! He finally puts Strowman into the ring and keeps him from Angle. Tag to McIntyre and they mug Strowman in the corner. McIntyre drags Strowman up for a neckbreaker! Cover, ONE! McIntyre tags Corbin and they double back suplex Strowman! Cover, TWO! Corbin grows frustrated but he and McIntyre coordinate. Fans rally up while McIntyre tags in. They mug Strowman then stomp a mudhole. Tag to Corbin and they go to double front suplex, but Strowman counters with a double suplex of his own!
Fans fire up again, and Strowman crawls for Angle. Hot tag to the Olympian! Geramn Suplex for Corbin! German Suplex for McIntyre! Another for Corbin! Angle clotheslines McIntyre out, then goes after Corbin. Corbin backs angle to a corner but Angle boots him! ANGLE SLAM! Cover, but McIntyre breaks it! Strowman blasts McIntyre with a shoulder! Strowman glares at Corbin but the ref keeps him back. Corbin brings up this will be a disqualification, but Strowman doesn’t care! He throws Corbin out of the ring!
Winners: Drew McIntyre & Baron Corbin, by disqualification
Who cares about rules? Strowman wants revenge! He wrecks Corbin and McIntyre on the outside, then he lines up the shot. Strowman runs Corbin over! He runs at McIntyre, but McIntyre sends him into barriers! Then CLAYMORE sends him over! Strowman is down in the front row, and McIntyre targets Angle in the ring. McIntyre drags Angle out to ram him into barriers! Corbin comes back and they double whip Angle into steel steps! Corbin moves the top half of the steps and then puts the bottom half in the ring. McIntyre fetches Angle and brings him over. They double choke grip but Strowman makes the save!
Strowman Choke Slams McIntyre on the steel steps! Then the same for Corbin! Strowman and Angle may have lost the match but they don’t look like the losers. Will they get another chance to show Angle’s still got it? Or is this good-bye to Angle wrestling in the ring?
My Thoughts:
A rather… odd episode of Raw tonight. I would like everyone to know that as of last week’s SmackDown, I all but predicted the route they’re taking with Becky. Stephanie bringing up the bad knee and there being the seed planted of a “replacement” follows in what I had guessed, but I didn’t think it would be a Stone Cold style suspension on top of the bad leg. But as I said then, I’ll say now: even with Charlotte being the apparent substitute, Becky will get herself cleared and is still part of the match. I didn’t want the Triple Threat, as many fans also feel, but I guess I’m just that attuned to the WWE’s way of thinking.
Ronda herself is taking an interesting turn. She destroyed two-thirds of the Riott Squad in her “anger”, which kinda buries them just weeks before the Elimination Chamber tag match. But Ronda as a character almost went Heel getting upset that fans were booing. I wonder if that’s a sign of a real turn before Mania. Ruby plays it smart like any good Heel, but her line about Ronda not having friends might come back to haunt her once the MMA Horsewomen wrap things up in NXT. Whether Ronda takes her break right after Mania or not, if Shayna, Jessamyn and Marina show up, they can have a Six Woman Tag with The Squad to prove they’re Ronda’s friends. In fact, that might be a good way to get those three Horsewomen going on the path to the Horsewomen VS Horsewomen match.
Good on Heavy Machinery for being utility guys on both shows right now. But because Raw still has a hard time with their tag division, Tucker & Otis didn’t have as great a showing. But good for The Revival to get another shot, and I hope this time they get those titles. The Revival is already one foot out the door, or two since they’re a duo, but maybe a title run from Chamber to Mania to past Mania will keep them in WWE. Especially if they, Roode & Gable get to tear it up in a tag classic like back in NXT. Then in the Women’s Tag, it was odd that it was all put on Bayley to win the qualifier. I hope WWE isn’t backtracking to when those two were enemies, because WWE screwed that up. But at least #LegitHuggable made the predictable win better with that performance.
The Moment of Bliss segment was pretty funny, with Ambrose joking with Nia about a crush and then trolling EC3 with all those questions. I really do hope Ambrose leaving WWE for good is just a work. Fans in Portland really like Ambrose and I myself wouldn’t want him to just up and leave. Though, him against EC3 in a really sad match wasn’t how to use him or EC3. EC3 can drop great promos, but why is he being mute? Honestly, I thought there was going to be a tease of co-ed tag, Ambrose forced to work with EC3 to take on Samoan Dynasty. But again, I still don’t know if WWE would go into a full co-ed match so soon.
I’m surprised we got Elias VS Jarrett so soon. Elias wins despite Road Dogg being ringside, but clearly the guitar smash afterward means this is far from over. There might be a way to still put this for Mania if WWE waits to revisit it. I’m also surprised about getting Angle-Strowman teaming already, as I had expected last week but for Mania. But in similar fashion, the Heels win but there are extracurricular activities that make me think they’ll revisit this at Mania. If Angle is truly wrapping up wrestling, Mania is the better place for his final match where he wins rather than stands tall. That way everyone around the world watching Mania can celebrate his victorious retirement rather than just those who watched Raw tonight.
Seth Rollins has an apparent elbow injury, but everyone expects it to only be a month at most. Which is fine, Rollins doesn’t need a Chamber match, and there are ways to hype Rollins VS Lesnar with promos instead of punches. If Lesnar can take time off, so can Rollins. That way Rollins is 100% rested and he can truly #SlaytheBeast. Finn playing up not being 100% was pretty good, but there was perhaps a missed memo or two. Lashley said their match was for the title, but no one else did. Swerving for Lio VS Finn was great, though, I was hoping Lio would wrestle on Raw. The match would’ve been better if not for Lashley adding on, but it was still good. Finn wins but his title match isn’t official, so something else has to happen before Chamber if that’s when it happens.
My Score: 7.9/10
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Will The Man be the Last Woman Standing?
Becky Lynch and Nia Jax want to finally put this to an end, so tonight on Raw, it will be a Big Time Last Woman Standing match! Will the Irresistible Force force the WrestleMania 40 match to change?
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: #DIY VS The Creed Brothers; DIY wins and advances to WrestleMania.
- Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell VS Kayden Carter & Katana Chance; Candice & Indi win.
- Dominik Mysterio w/ JD McDonagh VS Ricochet; Ricochet wins.
- Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: The Awesome Truth VS Indus Sher; The Awesome Truth wins and advances to WrestleMania.
- Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: The New Day VS The Alpha Academy; The New Day wins and advances to WrestleMania.
- Last Woman Standing: Becky Lynch VS Nia Jax; Becky wins.
PLAY BY PLAY
Jey Uso is here!
North Carolina State University fires up and bounces along with Main Event Jey, and Pat McAfee plays a dangerous game standing on the armchairs! From Bret VS Owen to Matt VS Jeff, we’re about to get Jey VS Jimmy in the third-ever Brother VS Brother WrestleMania grudge match! Jey gets the mic as fans chant “YEET! YEET! YEET!” Jey welcomes us to Monday Night Raw, and wants us to check this out. He knows his brothers are somewhere in the building. He knows The Bloodline’s in the building. He knows how the Bloodline rolls! SO Big Brother Jimmy, where you at?! Where you at, Uce!?
Jey waits for someone to show up somewhere, and the crowd spots them first! Fans boo as Jimmy & Solo make their way from the back of the stands. Jimmy gets a mic and goes to the apron while Solo paces around the outside. Fans chant “YEET! YEET! YEET!” again as Jey puts the sunglasses aside. The Usos stare each other down, the fans now chant “UCE! OH! UCE! OH!” Jey wants to say something, hesitates, but then says these two would always get to it but they always knew how to shake right back to this. But now it’s different. Regardless of what happened, the bad blood between them, Jey misses his brother. He does.
Jey knows Jimmy will say what he wants, but Jey doesn’t talk to him no more, doesn’t ride with him no more, doesn’t even see him no more! Jimmy can just come back. Jimmy says he never left! He protected Jey! Jey’s so dumb, he can’t see it! Jimmy is protecting Jey! It was Jey’s idea to leave The Bloodline, but Jimmy helped because he is Jey’s brother. So yeah, Jey leaves, and what happens? Lil’ Bro becomes the BIGGEST star on the Raw roster! Lil’ Bro becomes the top merch seller! Lil’ Bro goes off to become a tag team champion without Jimmy, but with CODY RHODES!? Who left who, Uce?
Jey forgot Jimmy! Everything Jey did that was big was cuz of Big Bro Jimmy! Everything! So listen loud and clear. The biggest moment in Jey’s career, the BIGGEST moment, is because of Jimmy! Jimmy stares Jey down, but Jey says no. Jey’s biggest moment in his career is going to be his dream match at WrestleMania 40: Jey VS Jimmy, and Jey knocks the yeet out Jimmy’s ass! Jey DECKS Jimmy, DECKS Solo off the apron, but then Jimmy SUPERKICKS Jey down! The fans boo but now Solo storms in and looms over Jey. Solo drags Jey up so Jimmy can look him in the face and tell him that Jey needs to get it right! JIMMY made Jey!
But here comes Cody Rhodes! The fans fire up as Cody DECKS Jimmy, then gets in to springboard and CODY CUTTER Solo!! The American Nightmare said he was gonna be a Bloodline Hunter, and he made sure they didn’t take out Jey! Cody tells The Bloodline it is only a matter of time before they lose it all at WrestleMania! Will Jey prove that younger or older doesn’t matter when he is the BETTER brother?
Adam Pearce is on the phone.
He’s telling Nick Aldis to stop being a hypocrite, telling Pearce to keep his roster in check when this is happening. But then Paul Heyman walks over and Pearce says he’ll call Aldis back. Pearce then asks Heyman what was all that, and Heyman says he owes Pearce an apology. He is sorry. That was not authorized by The Final Boss nor The Tribal Chief, and certainly not by Heyman. Jimmy & Solo went into business for themselves so Heyman apologizes. But listen, Pearce knows that there have been flight delays all day. Even private jets like theirs. Heyman is barely even dressed for TV, let alone has his make-up!
Pearce says those two were ready. Yeah, well, they got in on a different flight. But Roman Reigns is a chief of his word. Those two are already gone, out of the arena, and Pearce has Roman’s word. Call his bluff, put out a search party. Pearce knows Heyman is here on official business, which Heyman will handle, and then be gone. That is it. But when Heyman does his official business… everyone will be caught off guard. “And Mr. Pearce, sir, that’s not a prediction. That’s a spoiler.” The Wise Man heads out and calls Roman, but just what is Heyman teasing?
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: #DIY VS The Creed Brothers!
Unlike SmackDown’s mini-tournament, Raw and Adam Pearce say it’s win and you’re in! Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano want one more shot at Judgment Day, but so do Julius & Brutus! Will the Sicilian Psycho & Johnny Wrestling prove that when it comes to Mania Moments, you gotta do it yourself? Or will the Creeds be bringing golden tickets to the Diamond Mine?
Raw returns as The Creeds make their entrance. The teams fist bump to show respect, then the teams sort out. Julius starts against Ciampa, they circle and tie up. They’re in a deadlock, Ciampa goes for a waistlock but Julius facelocks. Julius wrangles Ciampa to the mat, flips him over, ONE, and Ciampa keeps moving. They trade facelocks, gator roll, and Julius gets another lateral press. ONE, but Julius gator rolls Ciampa around. Ciampa fights up, puts Julius on ropes, and the ref counts. Ciampa lets off, then CHOPS! Julius shoots in for the takedown! Julius has a leg, Ciampa fights but Julius turns him for the ANKLE LOCK!
Ciampa scrambles to the ROPEBREAK, and Julius lets off cleanly. Ciampa bails out, shakes it off, and he gets back in. They go again, Julius hits a fireman’s carry takeover! Tag to Brutus, and Julius feeds Ciampa to another fireman’s carry takeover! Brutus cording holds but Ciampa endures. Ciampa fights up, but Brutus facelocks. The fans rally as Brutus switches and rolls Ciampa. Ciampa fights up, headlocks, then ROCKS Brutus! Brutus DECKS Ciampa, then whips him to ropes. Ciampa ducks ‘n’ dodges, tag to Gargano! Ciampa slides, CHOPS, Gargano LARIATS and Ciampa JAWBREAKERS! Wrench and LARIAT!
Julius runs in, Gargano kicks and Ciampa gives him the boost for SLICED BREAD! The Creeds bail out, but DIY DOUBLE PLANCHA! Down go the Creeds, and DIY applaud and pat themselves on the back. The fans fire up and Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Ciampa has Julius in a chinlock. The fans rally, Julius fights up to throw body shots, but Ciampa hits a back suplex! Julius lands out of it, but Ciampa elbows him away. Ciampa drop toeholds Julius, gets legs, but Julius BOOTS Ciampa away! Hot tags to Gargano and Brutus! Brutus rallies on DIY, TOSSES Gargano, then blocks Ciampa’s kick to get under and POWERBOMB him! Brutus sees DIY regroup, then he runs in to SPLASH them both! O’Conner on Ciampa, but Gargano runs up! NORTHERN LIGHTS! Brutus has a DOUBLE BRIDGE, TWO!! Tag to Julius and he gut wrench SLAMS Brutus on Ciampa!
Brutus helps Julius flip up and over to SPLASH onto Ciampa! Cover, TWO! The fans rally up as Julius drags Ciampa up. Ciampa throat chops! A bit dirty but Ciampa wants that win! Ciampa storms up on Julius, but Julius basement stalling suplexes!! The fans are thunderous, Gargano runs in, but Brutus intercepts! Brutus suplexes Gargano now, stalls, and then the Creeds SLAM and kip up! Then they both STANDING MOONSAULT! Cover, TWO! Ciampa stays in this for DIY but the Creeds keep cool. Julius stomps Ciampa, tags Brutus, and they KNEE Ciampa around! Then they DOUBLE GUTBUSTER! Ciampa sputters but Brutus tags Julius in.
Julius drags Ciampa up, tags Brutus back in, and Brutus climbs. Julius Electric Chair Lifts, but Gargano makes the save! Gargano ROCKS Julius, Brutus ROCKS Gargano! Ciampa BOOTS Brutus, Gargano swings on Julius but is sent into Ciampa! Ciampa pushes Gargano back so he can ELBOW Julius! DIY set up again but Brutus stops the Sliced Bread! Julius DECKS Ciampa, KNEE into the WIDOWMAKER! Julius scrapes Gargano out, Brutus POUNCES Ciampa over the desk! Pat fires up with Brutus and so do the fans! The Creeds say they run this now, and then Brutus drags Ciampa up while Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Julius has Ciampa in a chinlock. Ciampa fights up, and he JAWBREAKERS free! Ciampa ELBOWS Brutus down, BOOTS Julius, then runs up, only for Julius to catch him and toss him back! But then Ciampa catches Julius for a REVERSE DDT! The fans fire up while both men are down and crawling! Hot tag to Gargano! Gargano slingshots to KICK Julius, then he CLOBBERS Brutus! ENZIGIRI for Julius, then he runs to DOUBLE KNEE Brutus! BULLDOG LARIAT COMBO! The fans fire up with Gargano while Julius ends up in another corner. Gargano runs in but is put on the apron!
Gargano GAMANGIRIS Julius, SUPERKICKS Brutus, then SLINGSHOT SPEARS Julius! Cover, TWO! Julius survives but Gargano puts him in a corner. Gargano CHOPS, then hoists Julius up top. Tag to Ciampa, Ciampa CHOPS Julius while Gargano DIVES onto Brutus! Ciampa CHOPS Julius again, goes up top, and fireman’s carries! Ciampa then tucks Julius in for the SUPER AIR RAID CRASH! Cover, TWO!! Julius survives again and shocks Ciampa! The fans are just as stunned, but Ciampa and Julius sit up. Ciampa stands, and he CHOPS! And CHOPS! Julius sits back up as Ciampa puts some stank on the CHOP!
Julius brings the straps down! Julius fires a forearm, Ciampa hits back, and the fans fire up as the shots keep going! They go faster and faster, harder and harder, meaner and meaner! The fans fire up as this just turns into a brawl of haymakers and SLAPS! Ciampa then gets around, ripcord and HAYMAKER! ROLLING- TACKLE from Julius! And then the ANKLE LOCK!! Ciampa reaches out, moves around, but Gargano runs up! Julius kicks him, then gets him up with one arm to POWERBOMB! Then it’s back to the ANKLE LOCK on Ciampa! Brutus gets in to get Gargano for an ANKLE LOCK of his own!
The fans are thunderous as DIY endures! Ciampa and Gargano fight, turn things over, SICILIAN CROSSFACE and GargaNO Escape!! The fans are thunderous as The Creeds power up and lift both DIY! They fireman’s carry, then TOSS DIY into each other!! The fans are thunderous as Julius goes up to MOONSAULT onto Ciampa! Brutus MOONSAULTS, too! Cover, TWO?!?! Ciampa survives and the fans are loving this! Julius tags back in, Brutus climbs up! “This is Awesome!” as Julius Electric Chair Lifts Ciampa! But Ciampa VICTORY ROLLS to get under the Brutus Ball!! Cover, Brutus tips it! Gargano TOSSES Brutus then SUPERKICKS Julius!! Ciampa has the cover, DIY WINS!!
Winners: DIY, by pinfall (advance to WrestleMania)
Julius can’t believe it! He kicked out at 3.1, but a loss is a loss! And for the first time ever, DIY is going to Mania! Will Philadelphia soon be historic for a DIY championship victory?
Judgment Day meets backstage.
Rhea Ripley is with Dominik Mysterio, Finn Balor & JD McDonagh, but also Andrade. Dom says he’s always liked Andrade’s style, but things have changed since the last time he was in the WWE. The Judgment Day runs Raw now. Rhea says yeah, and they don’t extend invitations to just anyone. Judgment Day is very exclusive. JD says very exclusive. But if Andrade continues to impress them, they’ll see about making things happen. And Finn says he just heard that Andrade has a match next week, so the Judgment Day will be watching him. Sounds good. See you next week. But then in steps Damian Priest.
The Punisher says hello to El Idolo, and El Idolo says hello to Senor Dinero. Andrade heads out, will he quite literally win his way into the club? But as for Priest, Finn asks him what he was up to. Priest was getting a closer look at that DIY VS Creeds match. DIY won, but whatever, they can handle those guys. But JD, they thought he could handle Ricochet last week, and run the gauntlet, and then go to WrestleMania to bring even more gold back to Judgment Day. JD says he did he belonged in there. But also, he battered Ricochet, who got lucky at the end there. Right, Finn? Finn hesitates, and Rhea says Priest is right on this one.
Ricochet made a fool out of JD! A fool? Yes. A fool? Yes. That’s why tonight, Dom will make it right. Right, Dom? Yeah, Mami. Let’s go talk to Pearce to make it official. Dom & JD head out, and the others are confident Dom’s got this. But does he, though? Or will the One and Only have two wins over Judgment Day in as many weeks?
Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell VS Kayden Carter & Katana Chance!
The Poison Pixie certainly lived up to that name last week when she bullied Maxxine Dupri as part of beating her and Ivy Nile last week. Will Candice’s toxic tongue strike again? Or will the party not be stopped by her harsh vibes?
The teams sort out and Candice starts against Kayden. Candice rushes up, Kayden gets around and O’Conner Rolls, TWO! Kayden springboards to basement dropkick! Cover, TWO! Kayden stalks Candice, Candice ELBOWS her away then tags Indi. Kayden dodges Candice to SUPERKICK, but Indi BOOTS Kayden! Cover, TWO! Indi drags Kayden up, tags Candice back in, and they mug Kayden. Candice CLUBS away on Kayden, fires off furious fists, then covers. TWO, and Candice grows frustrated already. The fans rally, Candice steps up but Kayden avoids the senton! Tags to Katana and Indi! Katana blasts past Indi, comes back and BULLDOGS!
Katana keeps moving, ducks ‘n’ dodges, then SHOTGUNS Indi to a corner! The fans fire up as Katana stomps away on Indi! Indi shoves Katana, Katana runs corner to corner to A-LIST LARIAT! Katana shoves Indi down, runs up, but into a back suplex! Katana lands out, but her leg jams! The ref and Kayden check, then the ref keeps Indi back. Indi says okay, and she stays by Candice. But Candice tags in to WRECK Kayden! And she SLAMS Katana’s leg into the post!! HALF CRAB and DEEP! Katana taps, Candice & Indi win!
Winners: Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell, by submission
Candice smiles and celebrates with Indi, but Indi doesn’t want to. Candice says a win is a win, but just what is going on in her toxic mind?
Cody Rhodes makes his way to the ring.
NC State fires up again as The American Nightmare walks down the ramp, and this time the fans can sing along with the song, “WHOA~ OH~!” Cody gets his pyro then gets the mic. “In less than three weeks time, I will stand opposed for the second year in a row, in the main event, with the lights on brightest, I will challenge for the WWE Undisputed Championship, against the greatest champion in all of sports, The Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns. And this Friday on SmackDown, Roman and I are going to have a little conversation, if you will. But there are… complications. Factors, elements, combustible elements, namely… The Rock.”
Fans boo but Cody says The Rock took to Instagram on Friday, and followed it up with “extremely entertaining” concert. Too bad The Rock didn’t wanna be here tonight. Something Cody took from the Instagram post: The Rock referred to himself as “Our Favorite Heel.” A bit of an inside term, but we’re not dumb, we know that means he’s the “bad guy.” Cody has known Heels. Bobby Heenan, Arn Anderson, Michael Hayes, “Superstar” Billy Graham, “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair! Fans “WOO~” and Cody says he doesn’t think The Rock is a Heel. He’s just an assh*le. The fans go nuts hearing that!
Cody doesn’t want Rock getting upset, he doesn’t want the “seven bucks team” to get upset, he doesn’t want anyone getting emotional. Cody knows how Rock feels about emotions, he poked fun at Cody tearing up at discussing “finishing the story” with good friend, Michael Cole. There’s no crying in pro-wrestling, Jimmy Dugan, we get it. But hasn’t The Rock been crying behind the scenes this whole time? Once that hashtag came out, once fans chanted something else, The Rock cried to his buddies on the TKO board and said “Hey, this is gonna be some good PR for The Rock! I need to save WWE!” God knows, look at this house. They sure needed “saving,” huh?
The fans cheer but Cody says Rock wanted great PR. Until it wasn’t. TKO said OMG yes, put on the Gucci shirt, get those muscles looking big. It’s because they are Yes People, they are enablers, they won’t dare tell The Rock like it is, so Cody’s going to. Cody tells The Rock, “You’re a lot of things. You’re a lot of wonderful things. You are the Braham Bull, you are The Great One.” Cody still has shoes with The Rock’s logo on it! The Rock is the only guy Cody honestly feels is a Mount Rushmore wrestler. But he is also a terrible salesman, a carny succubus, and for those who don’t get what that means, The Rock is “a whiny b*tch!”
Fans lose their minds again but Cody says The Rock has been convinced otherwise. But don’t think that for two seconds this locker room needs The Rock more than The Rock needs it! That’s a rule of wrestling, nobody is bigger than the business! And sure, Cody brought up his mom, so it is fair game for The Rock to use that. But Cody knows The Rock’s mom. Here’s what Cody will tell us about The Rock’s mom. She is a wonderful lady, salt of the earth, she helped Cody chop Kevin in a dark match. Cody has nothing but respect for The Rock’s mom, something The Rock should’ve echoed back towards Cody’s mom.
But see, The Rock was talking about whipping Cody, handing a bloody weight belt to Cody’s mom, and normally someone as powerful as The Rock, Mama Rhodes would tremble. But The Rock doesn’t know Cody’s mom. Cody was more scared than she was, because she ain’t scared of nothing. This is the same woman who once jumped out of her chair at a Willie Nelson concert and beat up an undercover cop! She ain’t afraid of The Rock! Cody has been asked, April 6th, biggest tag match of all time, Rock & Roman VS Cody & Seth. Seth Rollins, the World Heavyweight Champion, a man The Rock should respect because that man has carried The Rock’s company!
How will Cody get past that match? How will April 7th look? Will it be a fair fight? Cody can tell us honestly… He doesn’t know. Cody does not know if it will be Bloodline Rules or not. Hell, he might not #FinishTheStory. “But Dwayne… What do you know? How can you be so sure of your own self, right?” The Rock hasn’t been in the ring in real action in years! April 6th, the bell is gonna ring, and what happens then? Is The Rock gonna bring The Great One, the hero we all had growing up? Is he bringing that #BigDwayneEnergy? Or is it gonna be LDS, Little D*ck Syndrome?! The fans chant “L D S! L D S!”
Cody says The Rock has referred to himself as The Final Boss. Kudos for that nickname, maybe he really is that. Maybe Cody is too naive to see it. But at WrestleMania, Cody doesn’t think The Rock will be The Final Boss. At WrestleMania, he’s just Roman’s side chick. But then ladies and gentlemen, his name is Paul Heyman, and he serves as The Wise Man to Your Tribal Chief, the reigning! Defending! Undisputed! WWE Universal Heavyweight Champion, Roman… Reigns! And as Special Counsel to the Bloodline, Heyman is here to say to Cody that the ideals that Cody and Heyman share are far greater than the interests on which they conflict.
By example, don’t you hate it when someone comes out to demand an apology? Not that Cody’s done that, but Heyman is still going to do that. Heyman came out here with some “friends” of his, and he apologized. For a Wise Man, that was pretty freakin’ stupid. One: because it didn’t work. Two: because it was just dumb. And for that, Cody, to you and the fans, Heyman humbly apologizes. Cody says whoa, whoa, whoa. He didn’t ask for an apology, and he certainly knows Heyman wants permission to be in the ring. Heyman is a Hall of Famer starting this year, if he wants into the ring, be Cody’s guest.
Heyman thanks Cody for that but he’s fine on the apron. He carries with him a message from The Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns. Talk about Heels… You may think of Heyman anything negative you want, and that might be understanding the obvious. Heyman is not trustworthy, but Roman is a chief of his word. Heyman assures that this Friday on SmackDown, Roman will be face to face with Cody. American Nightmare, Tribal Chief, challenger and champion. And when they are face to face, there will not be a single other member of The Bloodline in sight. Except for Heyman, but he is no physical threat.
Heyman holds the title belt, the beads, whispers things in Roman’s ear, such as his love and respect. But Cody has Roman’s word that if he shows up on SmackDown, Roman will show up alone. Cody says Roman shows up alone, no Bloodline outside of Heyman, it’s a deal. They good? Heyman has some jet lag, he forgot one little point. And don’t boo him, he’s talking to Cody! Cody says yes they’re booing, and he’s about to go full Homelander and rip Heyman’s throat out if he doesn’t get to the point. Fans like the reference. Heyman composes himself and says if Roman Reigns shows up alone this Friday on SmackDown, then Cody must show up to SmackDown alone, too.
Cody steps closer to Heyman and Heyman is a bit nervous. Cody tells Heyman, “Deal!” They shake hands, and Heyman smiles. The Wise Man negotiated a purely one-on-one meeting between his Tribal Chief and American Nightmare, but can we trust Heyman was telling the truth about Roman telling the truth?
Nia Jax speaks.
“You know what I’ve realized? Becky Lynch has never beaten me. And after tonight, she never will. Because after I break her face again, I will be taking her spot at WrestleMania. I will finish business with Rhea Ripley, and not only will I walk out the Last Woman Standing, but I will become Women’s World Champion.” The Irresistible Force is ready for the Big Time, but will she A-Nia-late her?
Cody Rhodes returns backstage.
And Jey says there he go! But real quick, Cody can’t be going to SmackDown alone. Cody says he gave them his word. But The Bloodline isn’t gonna play fair! They’re all gonna be there! If Cody needs Jey, Jeys’ got him. Cody hears that, but he knows what he’s dealing with. They shake hands and Jey heads out. Will Cody be able to have that fair, one-on-one meeting? Or does Jey have a point about The Bloodline?
Dominik Mysterio w/ JD McDonagh VS Ricochet!
It seems Pearce agreed to the idea that Dirty Dom should try and clean up The Irish Ace’s mess. Will Dom be able to get revenge on Ricochet? Or will Ricochet be the One and Only person holding their head high tonight?
Raw returns and Dom has made his entrance. The bell rings, Dom and Ricochet circle, and they tie up. Ricochet waistlocks, Dom fights the lift and grabs ropes. The ref counts, Ricochet lets off, but Dom ELBOWS him away! Dom fires hands, soaks up the heat, then storms up, but into haymakers! Ricochet CHOPS, kicks then flexes on Dom. Ricochet whips, Dom reverses, but Ricochet goes up and over. Ricochet ducks ‘n’ dodges to then handspring back elbow! The fans fire up while Dom bails out! JD is there to coach Dom up, but Ricochet runs in! JD gets Dom to safety, but Ricochet handsprings to hero land!
The fans fire up, Ricochet then goes to ropes to TORNILLO PLANCHA! Direct hit on Dom and Ricochet tells JD to back off. Ricochet puts Dom in, Dom distracts the ref, but JD grabs Ricochet’s leg! Ricochet kicks JD away, but then Dom WRECKS Ricochet with a dropkick! Dom soaks up the heat and Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Dom has Ricochet up top. Dom climbs but Ricochet throws body shots! The fans rally behind Ricochet as he sends Dom staggering. Ricochet hops down as Dom comes running back, and Ricochet GAMANGIRIS him away! Ricochet then springboards, but Dom trips him up! Ricochet flops to the mat, then Dom kicks and FACEBUSTERS! Cover, TWO! Ricochet is still in this and JD argues the count. Dom looms over Ricochet, scuffs him around, then mockingly cheers him on. Fans boo but Dom brings Ricochet up. Dom gives some Latino Heat, then suplexes! Uno Amigo, but fans boo.
Dom gets Ricochet up but Ricochet suplexes Dom instead! And then fireman’s carry, DYNAMITE KICK! Cover, TWO! Dom is still in this and JD coaches him but the fans rally for Ricochet. Ricochet stands, storms up on Dom, but Dom shoots around to roll him up! With tights! TWO, Ricochet blocks a kick and KICKS Dom down! Ricochet hurries up top, the fans fire up, but Ricochet has to bail out of the 450 as Dom moves! Dom runs in again, but into a SUPERKICK! JD gets on the apron, so Ricochet triangle jump DROPKICKS! But then Dom DROPKICKS Ricochet onto ropes! Dom dials it up but Ricochet ducks!
Dom spins around, into the RECOIL!! Cover, Ricochet wins!
Winner: Ricochet, by pinfall
But then JD runs in! Ricochet dodges, goes up and around, BOOTS JD away, then BOOTS him again! Ricochet even flips up and out of the ring at the same time! Ricochet gets the better of Judgment Day again, just how disappointed is Mami going to be in her Latino Heat this time?
Sami Zayn is backstage.
He finds Chad Gable and wants to talk with him. Last week’s match, that was an honor. Sami hasn’t been pushed like that in a long time, it could’ve gone either way. Gable says yeah, it was great. Thanks. Is Gable alright? Yeah, he’s fine. Kinda feels like not… Gable says he’s fine, so leave it at that. C’mon, man, how many years have they known each other? Sami knows when something’s bothering Gable, so he should just say it. Gable says look, last week, the WrestleMania opportunity, the whole thing, it just meant more to him. Sami says he’s been hearing Gable say that for weeks, and it is really unfair.
Does Gable really think he’s the only one this title opportunity matters to? Sami has a family, too! Sami’s kid cries when Papa loses a match, too. Sami has people he’s let down and is trying to make proud. After all the years put into this, Gable can’t tell Sami what matters more because he doesn’t know Sami like that. Gable has Sami calm down, and says he knows all that. But it isn’t all about that. Then what is all this? Gable says Sami can’t beat Gunther. Gable then leaves, and Sami is at a loss for words. Is this bitter side of Gable only going to get worse as we go down this Road to WrestleMania?
Adam Pearce is in the ring.
Raw returns with the GM by a table, and he welcomes us to a contract signing to make official the Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship for WrestleMania! The fans cheer, and Pearce introduces first, the challenger, Sami Zayn! The Great Liberator makes his entrance and the fans sing along with his song. Sami still looks troubled by what Gable said just moments ago, but he still high-fives fans and gets in the ring. Then Pearce introduces the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion of all time, Der Ring General, GUNTHER! The fans boo as Gunther walks in, having reached Day 647!
Gunther smiles as Sami watches him make his way down the ramp and into the ring. Pearce says we know how this works, but Gunther says before we proceed, let us call this what it is: the most important contract signing for the most important match in the history of this championship. And why, why, why is the challenger dressed no better than any of the bums in the audience? Fans boo but Sami just shrugs that off. Sami gets a mic to say that Gunther keeps sitting there all smug, and it’s really starting to piss Sami off. Gunther thinks this is just another day at the office, that he’ll steamroll through Sami like any other contender.
But with all respect to Gunther, he really has. He has beaten everyone that has come his way, and has done it on his own. Gunther doesn’t believe Sami can do it. A lot of people didn’t believe Sami at many points in his career. They didn’t believe he’d even make it to WWE, let alone win championships and main event a WrestleMania. And if you ask The Usos, they didn’t believe Sami would be one of the guys to end the longest tag title reign in WWE history, but he did! And one year later, he will make history again by ending the longest Intercontinental title reign in WWE history! Sami signs his part and pushes the contract over to Gunther.
The fans cheer Sami on but Gunther waits it out. Gunther tells Sami, what Sami should do is listen to his new friend, Gable. Gable doesn’t believe Sami can win. The people here cheer Sami, they probably even love Sami. But even they don’t believe Sami can win. And y’know, when Gunther looks Sami in the eyes, and if Sami was honest with himself, even Sami doesn’t believe he can win. So what Sami is doing right now is standing on Gunther’s doorstep and begging him to get the beating of a lifetime on the Grandest Stage of Them All! So whatever Sami has to do, from training to believing, just keep doing that. Because at WrestleMania, Sami’s dreams will meet reality.
Gunther grins and signs his part, and it is now official! Gunther then stands, title on his shoulder, and takes his leave. The fans boo, but then Sami tells Gunther to wait. Gunther steps back inside to hear Sami as Sami turns around. Gunther looks in Sami’s eyes and believes Sami doesn’t believe? Sami stands to get in Gunther’s face and dares him to look again. Get a good long look, because these are the eyes of the man who will take you down at Mania! The fans fire up, and now Sami leaves first. Gunther still just grins, but will Sami use a Helluva Kick to wipe that smile off his face?
We follow Sami as he storms backstage, right past DIY and The Awesome Truth. Truth asks what’s up with Sami, but The Miz says that is the mindset of WrestleMania right there. That’s what they need. DIY wishes Awesome Truth luck. Awesome Truth knows DIY is into the ladder match, and they are gonna have their own qualifier. Miz & Truth just need to beat… Indus Sher. Jinder Mahal tells Veer & Sanga to warm up for the match. They head out, and Truth says he feels sorry for whoever has to face those guys. Miz stares at Truth, and he has DIY hold off. Miz will explain. The Awesome Truth heads to gorilla, their match is next!
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: The Awesome Truth VS Indus Sher w/ Jinder Mahal!
Miz wants a remix of the theme song but Truth says to just follow his lead. NC State knows what’s up, but will the Awesome Truth finally reach the top of the tag division 13 years after they first teamed? We’ll see, after the break!
Raw returns as Indus Sher makes their entrance, the Modern Day Maharaja by their side. The teams sort out and Truth starts against Sanga. The fans echo “WHAT’S UP?!” but Sanga roars! Truth is scared now so he tags Miz. Truth fires Miz up, Miz runs up and dodges Sanga to fire off haymakers! Miz kicks, whips, but Sanga blocks! Sanga whips and CLOBBERS Miz! Jinder nods as Sanga then scoops Miz and brings him over. Veer tags in, Sanga SLAMS Miz, then Veer ELBOW DROPS! Indus Sher say “NAMASTE!” but the fans say “WHAT’S UP!?” with Truth. Veer HIP DROPS Miz, then looms over him.
Veer eggs Miz on, drags him up with shoulder claws, and then steps over Miz for the neck wrench! Miz endures as Veer still digs a claw into his shoulder. The fans rally for Miz, Miz fights up and throws body shots! Miz reaches out but Veer knees low! Veer SHOVES Miz to the corner, runs in, but Miz BOOTS! Miz ELBOWS Sanga, but Veer catches him! Veer puts Miz back int he corner, but Miz ducks the boot to tag Truth! Truth dodges Veer and starts up the shoulder tackles! Truth gets around Veer to SPIN-OUT BOMB! The fans fire up as Truth shouts out Cena with “You Can’t See Me!” Truth runs to Five Knuckle Shuffle!
Jinder is not happy now as Truth fireman’s carries! But Veer slips free! Truth drop toeholds to the STF!! The fans fire up but Sanga stomps Truth! Miz fires off kicks on Sanga, then body shots! Truth joins in, they mug and whip Sanga, to DOUBLE DROPKICK! Sanga staggers around, Veer runs up, but into a full nelson! Truth and Miz combine for a SKULL CRUSHING LIE DETECTOR!! But Sanga whips Miz away! Miz WRECKS Jinder with it, but Sanga runs up! Sanga knocks Miz down, Miz anchors Sanga, Sanga ELBOWS Truth, Truth falls onto Veer for the cover! Awesome Truth wins!!
Winners: The Awesome Truth, by pinfall (advance to WrestleMania)
The fans fire up, and Truth doesn’t even realize what happened! Miz celebrates with Truth and Truth puts it together! They’re now one of the six in the ladder match! Will this combination of teamwork and luck be just what they need to take those titles from Judgment Day?
Sami confronts Gable now.
Sami tells Gable to tell him why. Why what? Why does Gable think Sami can’t beat Gunther? Well you just saw why! With Gunther, it isn’t just physical, it is mental. Sami made his career out of being the underdog that crawls his way out of any hole he’s in, right? Just like last week! Sami found the window of opportunity to get out of a bad situation any time he can. Gunther’s on a different level! You gonna sit and wait for that window to appear? It doesn’t happen with Gunther! He’s a different beast, a different animal. If Sami doesn’t change his mentality, then he can’t beat Gunther. Gable leaves Sami with a lot to think again. Is there a way Sami can change enough to defeat Der Ring General?
CM Punk speaks.
“Do I plan at being in WrestleMania? WrestleMania is in Philadelphia, what’re the first four letters in Philadelphia? Phil. You can’t have WrestleMania Philadelphia without Phil. Whether I’m invited or uninvited, Punk will be there.” And next week in Chicago, Punk returns to Raw! Will the Second City Saint find a way to be part of the biggest WrestleMania ever?
Drew McIntyre is here!
The Scottish Terminator, or as his new shirt says, “The Savior of WrestleMania,” makes his way to the ring, NC State a bit torn about seeing him. But then Seth Rollins is here, too!? McIntyre is upset but the fans sing along, “WHOA~ OH~ OHH~!” as The Visionary struts his way out. Rollins swaggers right past McIntyre in his green storm pattern suit, and steps into the ring first. McIntyre frowns as he follows Rollins in, and sits in a corner. The fans continue to sing, which Rollins revels in for a moment. Rollins has the mic to then say, “RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA~! Welcome to Monday Night Rollins~!
“And Drew, hah, sorry, I didn’t even see you there. I was too busy, uh, y’know, soaking up the spotlight, right?” McIntyre has a mic to say, “Alright, here we go.” Here goes what, Drew? McIntyre says no, no, get it all out of your system, he knows Rollins has more! McIntyre can stay in the back while Rollins enjoys the spotlight, because after WrestleMania, that spotlight’s all McIntyre’s. Hey, hey, c’mon. Rollins is here with an honest cause. Rollins doesn’t like McIntyre, he thinks he’s stupid, a hypocrite, has said a lot of dumb things lately, but Rollins is here to admit that one thing McIntyre said is absolutely right and he wants to say it to McIntyre’s face, right here in Raleigh, in front of the fine people.
Now, they always say the first step to recovery is the hardest, so bare with Rollins. He has been working on this all week, but… “My name is Seth Freakin’ Rollins, and I’m a spotlight junkie.” The fans chant “Spotlight Junkie!” and also sing, but McIntyre says everything is just a joke to Rollins, isn’t it? Look at Rollins! He’s a parody of himself at this point. But honestly, McIntyre doesn’t care. He tried reasoning, he gave the answers, and now he only cares about their match and the world title. And you wanna know the real punchline, funny man? “What?” McIntyre says they say that because they’re happy McIntyre sidelined Punk, thanks for remembering!
But the punchline is when McIntyre beats Rollins for that title. The fans chant for “C M PUNK!” but McIntyre says don’t be ridiculous. Punk’s waiting until next week to return because he’d never show up in a place like Raleigh. The fans boo but McIntyre says see, they’re booing Punk! Punk is only getting off his couch to be at his local arena. Rollins tells McIntyre to shut up already. Oh, seems McIntyre got Rollins’ attention. Rollins takes off the sunglasses to say yeah, McIntyre has his attention. Because this isn’t a joke! When Rollins says he is a junkie, it isn’t a joke! He’s been doing this for 20 YEARS! Just like McIntyre!
And every time Rollins comes out of the curtain, that’s his fix. And it gets better and better every single time. Rollins comes out here, lays it all on the line, and it just gets better and better! When he hears the fans sing the song so loud, Rollins can barely speak, “WHOA~ OH~ OHH~!” That’s Rollins’ fix! That is the spotlight he craves, and y’know what? Rollins wants the spotlight as bright as it can possibly be. So yeah, McIntyre’s been busy online entertaining people with memes, so he hasn’t been listening to Rollins. So Rollins will get this through McIntyre’s thick skull: Night One, Rollins takes the biggest star in Hollywood and his side chick, and makes them his b*tches!
Then on Night Two, the biggest spotlight possible will be shined down on McIntyre and Rollins and the World Heavyweight Championship! McIntyre says all hail the savior, Seth Rollins! This is what McIntyre wanted! The passion and desire, not the stupid laughing and dancing. Rollins had McIntyre all the way to the finish. Rollins has done this 20 years, just like McIntyre. They’ve given their lives to this industry, and that is what the title is about! The wrestlers’ title, the workhorse championship! Rollins had McIntyre with him until he mentioned the bigger spotlight and how Rollins pins one of the biggest stars in the world.
Why can’t it just be about Rollins’ hard work to make that title, and all of McIntyre’s hard work to get this chance? Why can’t that be the reason they’re getting the biggest spotlight!? Rollins has had his priorities all backwards, McIntyre has been giving him all the answers. McIntyre said he is over the BS, and all he cares about is Rollins making it to the ring on Night Two. And if Rollins can’t walk, then McIntyre will wheel him down. If not, McIntyre will carry Rollins down. At Mania, McIntyre doesn’t get the moment he deserves. He gets the moment he has bloody EARNED. The fans do cheer that!
Rollins smirks and says, “Ah, Drew. There it is. That’s right, you wanna call me a spotlight junkie, but you want the spotlight just as bad as I do, don’t you? You’re an addict, just like I am. And you’ve been begging for spotlight for the past four years, because you won the WrestleMania main event. You did, back in 2020, in an empty warehouse. And all we’ve been hearing from Drew McIntyre for the past four years was how that wasn’t good enough. You’ve been whining and complaining and bitching and moaning that you deserve better, that you deserve more. The problem is, Drew, when everybody came back around, and the lights got bright again, what happened? You fumbled the ball.
“And that’s the difference between you and me. When the lights are the brightest, I shine, baby. I shine bright. And at WrestleMania 40, the lights are gonna be as bright as they have ever been. And you are gonna find out you are not as good as you think you are.” Rollins drops the mic, but this time McIntyre smirks. The verbal battle continues, but who will put their money where their mouth is once this one finally happens?
Becky Lynch speaks.
“I’m a wanted woman, and I don’t even have the title. Yet. But we’re less than three weeks away from WrestleMania, so why would I risk it all? Because I don’t know anything else. All I know is taking risks. All I know is fighting. And all I know is tonight, I’m gonna be the Last Woman Standing.” Becky is fired up to finally do what she hasn’t done in the most extreme way possible. Will she be the immovable object to Nia’s irresistible force?
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: The New Day VS The Alpha Academy!
Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods have been W, W, E, World, Tag, Team, CHAMPIONS~, but they’ve never been a part of a title match as big as this Six Pack Ladder challenge! Will they look to be part of history once again? Or will Akira Tozawa & Otis say “A THANK YEW~!” for this golden opportunity?
Raw returns as the Academy makes their entrance. The teams sort out and Woods starts against the tree trunk, Otis. The fans rally for “NEW! DAY ROCKS!” Otis and Woods tie up, but Woods kicks low then headlocks. Otis powers up and out then runs Woods over! Otis storms up on Woods, GUT RAMS him back down, then brings him back up. Otis GUT RAMS Woods again, then runs to CLOBBER Woods! Otis swivels his hips, the fans echo “Oh~ yeah!” Otis tags Tozawa and the Academy mugs Woods. Tozawa brings Woods around but Woods CHOPS! Woods tags Kofi, he and Kofi double whip Tozawa but Tozawa holds ropes!
Tozawa fires hands, dodges Woods then BOOTS Woods down! Kofi kicks low, whips Tozawa to a corner, but Tozawa BOOTS Kofi away! Tozawa goes up to FLYING RANA! The fans fire up as Tozawa sees New Day regroup outside. Tozawa runs to DIVE! Direct hit on both New Day, and Otis joins in for “A THANK YEW~!” The Academy stands tall as Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Tozawa fights a chinlock. Tozawa reaches for Otis but Woods back suplexes. Tozawa lands out to then DROPKICK Woods down! The fans rally as Woods and Tozawa crawl, hot tags to Otis and Kofi! Otis CLOBBERS Kofi, CLOBBERS him again, then whips him to ropes. WRECKER ELBOW! Woods runs in, Otis dodges, to LARIAT! Otis sees Kofi leap off the corner, and catches him for a WORLD’S STRONGEST SLAM! Otis rips the shirt off, winds up the hips, and then starts up the CATERPILLAR! ELBOW DROP! Cover, TWO! Kofi survives but Otis hurries to step on him! Tag to Tozawa, and Otis goes up!
Otis VADER BOMBS but FLOPS as Kofi moves! Tozawa hurries up top while Kofi SUPERKICKS Otis! Kofi turns around into the CROSSBODY from Tozawa! Cover, TWO! Tozawa SUPERKICKS Kofi but Woods tags in! Woods GAMANGIRIS Tozawa, then steps in to TORNADO DDT! Cover, TWO! Tozawa toughs it out but Woods grits his teeth as he goes to the corner. Woods climbs, but Tozawa rises! Tozawa throws body shots, Woods CLUBS Tozawa! Tozawa throws more hands and climbs up! The fans rally as they brawl up top! Tozawa brings Woods up but Woods fights the lift! Woods throws body shots in return!
Woods shifts position to get under Tozawa for a fireman’s carry! But then Tozawa pops up to SUPER STEINER!! Tozawa rips off his shirt, climbs back up top, SUPER SENTON!! Cover, Kofi breaks it! The fans fire up but Otis drags Kofi out! Otis whips Kofi at steps, Kofi goes up and jumps off the steps to TORNADO DDT to the floor! Kofi hurries back up to the apron but Tozawa SCREW HIGH KICKS him down! Tozawa dodges Woods, pop-up, but Woods blocks the rana to then SPINNING POWERBOMB! Woods sees the WrestleMania sign, hurries up the corner, and he tightrope walks! LIMIT BREAK ELBOW!! Cover, New Day wins!
Winners: The New Day, by pinfall (advance to WrestleMania)
The New Day are the ones saying A THANK YEW~ as they put their names down for the Six Pack Ladder Match! Will they once again climb to the top of the WWE Tag Team Division and bring home those championships?
Liv Morgan confronts Becky Lynch.
Becky asks if she’ll have to watch out for Liv as well. Well, you should always #WatchMe, but no, not tonight. Nia is all Becky’s. Liv just wants Becky to kick Nia’s ass. Liv leaves, will Becky kick ass and then some?
Cody walks with his dog, Pharaoh, backstage.
Rollins finds him and brings up Friday. One on one? One on one. Rollins nods and says he loves Pharaoh’s bandanna. The Visionary trusts the American Nightmare can handle himself, but will we be able to trust The Tribal Chief?
Last Woman Standing: Becky Lynch VS Nia Jax!
From the origins of “The Man” in WWE to the aftermath of Elimination Chamber: Perth, these two have battled, but never as brutally as this! They’re able to go anywhere and do anything, but who will be the Last Woman Standing this close to WrestleMania 40?
The bell rings and the two rush in! Becky DROPKICKS Nia and Nia goes to a corner. Becky runs in but Nia puts Becky on the apron. Becky ROCKS Nia, goes up a corner, then leaps to MISSILE DROPKCIK! Nia stumbles and tumbles out of the ring, so Becky WRECKS her with another dropkick! Becky then goes to the apron for a FLYING FOREARM! Nia stays up, Becky tries again, but Nia dodges! Fireman’s carry and Nia POSTS Becky, to then SAMOAN DROP her into barriers! The ref counts as Becky is down, but she stands at 4 of 10. Nia CLOBBERS Becky and wants the count! The count climbs but Nia is impatient.
Nia clears off the desk, Becky stands at 5 of 10, and she leans against barriers. Becky comes back with body shots and haymakers, but Nia ROCKS her with a forearm! Becky staggers away as Raw goes to break!
Raw returns and Becky is bringing out a table! The fans fire up as Becky sets that up ringside. There’s been a lot of chaos during the break according to commentary, from chairs to kendo sticks to even a copy of Becky’s book, The Man: Not Your Average Average Girl! But Nia storms over to stop Becky and SMACK her off the desk! Nia puts Becky in the ring, takes that table for her own and sets it up. The table doesn’t cooperate and fans boo, but Nia goes for chairs instead. She slides those in the ring, Becky manages to stand at 7 of 10, and she grabs at those chairs. Nia ditches the table, it just doesn’t wanna work.
Nia storms in but Becky JAMS her with a chair, SMACKS her with it, then clinches! Nia fights the slam, fireman’s carries Becky, and FULL METAL SAMOAN DROPS!! Becky writhes from hitting chairs but Nia looms over her. Nia soaks up the heat as she counts along. Becky flounders to ropes and drags herself up at 7! Nia sits a chair up, fans want a table, but Nia scoops Becky. Becky slips around to a SLEEPER! Nia RAMS Becky into buckles again and again until Becky lets go. But then Becky BULLDOGS Nia off the chair! Nia is down for the count now, and Becky leans against ropes to stay up herself.
Nia stirs at 5, stands at 8, but Becky is up top! Becky leaps, into a CHAIR SHOT! Nia SMACKS Becky again and again and again! The fans boo but Nia finally stops. Nia puts that chair aside and goes out to get some kendo sticks! Nia puts those in, but Becky grabs one! Nia snatches it from her to SMACK! And SMACK! And SMACK! Becky sputters and staggers, Nia clinches and scoops! Nia SLAMS Becky onto chairs! Then Nia runs to drop the leg, brother! Nia wants the count and the count begins! Becky sputters as we reach 5 of 10. Becky grabs that kendo stick but Nia SMACKS Becky with a chair! And again!
Nia kicks Becky around, then uses the chair to take a seat on Becky’s body!! The fans boo as the count begins, but Becky SMACKS Nia with the kendo stick! And again and again and again, even in the butt! Nia stands up, into more shots! Becky stands and she fires away until Nia scurries out of the ring! Becky pursues but Nia CLOBBERS her! Nia pulls the steel steps apart now, and takes that top half to RAM Becky down! Becky flounders, Nia hauls her up and puts her in the ring. Becky’s on the apron and Nia takes aim! Nia runs up, APRN LEG DROP only gets apron! Becky avoids disaster, then has Nia by the steps! DDT onto the steel!
Nia is down again and the count begins. Nia stirs at 5 of 10, sits up at 6, but Becky SMACKS her off steps! Nia falls over again and the count resets. Becky hurries to go looking for things while Nia rises again. Becky has a new table! The fans fire up as Becky gets that in the ring. Nia stands at 7, staggers after Becky, and Raw goes back to break.
Raw returns once again and Nia mugs Becky against barriers! Nia puts Becky on a table, and surprise! There’s a ladder set up now! Nia climbs the ladder?! She also demands Pat support the ladder. But Becky gets off the table so now Nia has no reason to be up there. Nia storms after Becky, but gets a FIRE EXTINGUISHER BLAST!! The fans fire up as Becky cools Nia off, then JAMS her with the canister! Becky puts Nia in the ring, and there’s a table waiting in a corner! Becky lines up the shot, and runs in, but Nia SAMOAN DROPS Becky through the table!!! Both women are down in the wreckage and the count begins!
Nia flounders away from the wreckage but she still needs to stand. Nia is up at 5, and she isn’t satisfied with this! She drags Becky all the way to another corner and puts her in the drop zone! Nia climbs up, for the A-NIA-LATOR!! Nia shouts for the count, the count begins, and Nia storms around as she points to the Mania sign. Becky is still down at 5 of 10, only starts stirring at 7, and she slumps out of the ring to stand up! Nia is furious, goes out after Becky, and kicks things aside to keep after her. Nia asks if Becky’s vision is blurry. Nia fireman’s carries Becky up the steel steps and along the apron, aiming for that other table!
The fans freak out but Becky fights with elbows! Becky CLUBS away on Nia and the fans are thunderous! Becky then clinches, for a MANHANDLE SLAM through the table!!! Both women are down int he wreckage again, and the count begins! Becky sits up at 4 while fans are still losing their minds! We pass 5 of 10, then 7! Nia sits up at 8 and stands at 9! But then she slumps back over! The count starts again, Nia flounders around and stands at 5. Becky goes up the ladder! Becky sees Nia approaching the desk, and then SUPER MAN’S LEG DROP through the desk!!! The fans lose their minds again while both men are down in more wreckage!
The count is 5 of 10! Becky flounders and crawls, drags herself up at 9, but Nia is still down! BECKY WINS!!
Winner: Becky Lynch
The Man conquers truly one of the most intense challenges in her career! But then here comes one of the most intense champions! The fans fire up as Rhea Ripley makes her way out, Women’s World Championship in hand. She goes right to the ring and looks at Becky. Rhea “congratulates” Becky for winning, but then Becky gets in Rhea’s face! The fans fire up, and now there are no obstacles in the way of Mami VS The Man! Who will be the champion after WrestleMania 40?
My Thoughts:
A great Raw right here, though the in-ring action kinda dipped down until that awesome Last Woman Standing main event. This is one of the times I wish they’d done picture in picture so we as the TV audience could see even more action. Great win for Becky, of course, but I also like that Becky had a moment with Liv just before, and of course she had a moment with Rhea to close out the night. Great promos with Sami and Gable that also blended into the contract signing from tonight. And I suppose Gable has a point that Sami, the comeback kid, can’t do that when Gunther has an arsenal of moves that would be “finishers” given all the different ways Gunther has won over the years.
And speaking of that contract signing segment, I really liked the segue they did in following Sami so that he’d cross paths with Awesome Truth at gorilla and we’d get their segment going into their match. WWE has been doing some really creative stuff in this newest era where Vince is truly out and apparently even Kevin Dunn has moved on. Awesome Truth had a really fun but also really quick tag match with Indus Sher, and then New Day VS Alpha Academy was solid stuff, but DIY VS Creeds was such an awesome match. For a moment, I thought Creeds were gonna take this one but DIY still found a way, and I like that DIY is in. Honestly, I’m liking that the HHH favorites are getting in, because we also have New Catch Republic on the other side that can still win into the match.
Judgment Day had good stuff tonight, too. Good group promo with Andrade to tease El Idolo possibly joining, but who knows if he does. Depends on how things go for Priest. He was watching the qualifiers, he’s not worried, but maybe he should be. Granted, he still has the MITB briefcase, he could go from losing the tag titles to taking the world title, who knows how the Judgment Day’s story is going to go as we move past Mania. Dom VS Ricochet was a really good match, and Ricochet winning was the right move to keep this feud going. I think there’s going to be Ricochet VS McDonagh next week as a rematch from the gauntlet, that’ll be great stuff, too.
Candice’s Heel turn slow burn continues as she takes advantage of the “hurt” leg. Indi also does a good job of being very conflicted about this. There’s a WWE YouTube exclusive where Ivy Nile confronts Candice so that’ll be a match, and then maybe when Candice again goes too far, Indi steps in and we get a match of Candice VS Indi at some point. Good little update promo from CM Punk, he’ll have a great homecoming moment in Chicago, but also probably McIntyre coming after him. McIntyre had a great promo segment with Rollins, and with all these continued moments where the other person gets the mic drop moment, it feels like McIntyre has to win the title.
And of course, great stuff with the Bloodline story even on Raw. Jey and Jimmy have great promos in their confrontation, and of course it turns into a brawl. Good segue from that to Heyman being here, and Heyman confronting Cody during Cody’s great promo segment. Cody really went off on The Rock, that was some wild stuff. But the supposed promise of “one on one and no one else aside from Heyman” might be kept, and we get a strong promo segment on SmackDown in a foreshadowing of the fair-and-square 1v1 match. Or it is a trap and that’s more a foreshadowing of Bloodline Rules where they can do whatever they want. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.
My Score: 8.9/10
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We’re just one step away from the Cup!
Cold Skull faces The Fierce Warrior, and Gene Blast faces The King of Darkness, and when the smoke clears, we will have our New Japan Cup finalists!
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Boltin Oleg & Shoma Kato VS Zack Sabre Jr. & Mikey Nicholls; ZSJ & Mikey win.
- Six Man Tag: El Desperado, Tomohiro Ishii & Togi Makabe VS Just5Guys; Just5Guys win.
- Tanga Loa & Ryusuke Taguchi VS Great-O-Khan & Callum Newman; Loa & Taguchi win.
- Six Man Tag: YOSHI-HASHI, Toru Yano & Hiroyoshi Tenzan VS Bullet Club; Bullet Club wins.
- 8 Man Tag: Shota Umino, El Phantasmo, Hikuleo & YOH VS The House of Torture; Shota, ELP, Leo & Yoh win.
- Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS The United Empire; LIJ wins.
- 2024 New Japan Cup Semifinals: Yota Tsuji VS EVIL; Tsuji wins and advances to the finals.
- 2024 New Japan Cup Semifinals: SANADA VS Hirooki Goto; Goto wins and advances to the finals.
PLAY BY PLAY
2024 New Japan Cup Semifinals: Yota Tsuji VS EVIL w/ Dick Togo!
The Gene Blast overcame the tricks Ren Narita tried, but that’s because the House of Torture was saving all the good stuff so they could slay the Rampaging Dragon. Will the deck be even more stacked to make sure Everything is Evil’s? Or will Yota be one step away from LIJ VS LIJ at Sakura Genesis?
Well, Dick is making his way out here, but where is Evil? Oh, there he is. No tricks just yet it seems. But then Yota DIVES onto Evil! The fans fire up but Dick attacks Yota! Dick whips, Yota stops himself, and then scoops Dick for a BACKBREAKER! The fans fire up and Yota wants the bell. The ref says yes, ring the bell, and this is on the record! Yota stomps and CLUBS Evil, then whips, but Evil reverses! Yota hits railing, and then Evil whips him into more railing! Evil CHOKES Yota against the railing, Yota fights back, but the ref gets knocked aside! Evil puts Yota in so he and Dick can stomp away!
The fans boo but here comes the rest of the House already! Narita, Yujiro, Kanemaru and Jack all stomp away on Yota, but here come Bushi & Hiromu! It’s a replay of yesterday as LIJ fights off the House, but the numbers are still against them! The ref rushes in to tell everyone to stop! Evil shoves the ref out of the ring, Yota fires off on him, but Evil CLAWS Yota’s eyes! The House CHOKES LIJ, but the ref says stop! The bell rings, but what is the decision!? NO CONTEST!?
No Contest
What does this mean!? Someone has to advance, right? The finals aren’t until the 20th, how can there be a no contest? The House started this, where’re the consequences?! Yota gets up but Evil TOSSES him back out! LIJ regroups and Yota asks for a mic. Yota tells Evil that he’s sick and tired of this! They ARE gonna finish this match! The fans like the sound of that! All the refs come out, including Red Shoes, to discuss how this will be handled. For starters, they tell all the extras to get outta here! LIJ is cool with that, and Hiromu tells the House to come along. Evil says fine, and Jack, Kanemaru, Narita, Yujiro and even Dick reluctantly exit.
The announcement is officially made, and the bell rings! Yota and Evil rush in, Evil kicks low but Yota CLUBS away on Evil! Evil CLAWS the eyes! Evil kicks, runs, RAMS, but Yota rebounds to run Evil over! Then run and SPLASH! Cover, TWO! Yota fires up and the fans are with him! Evil bails out but the fans rally for Yota. Evil wants Yota to stay back, then he slides in, only to slide right out! Yota runs out after Evil, but Evil kicks him! Evil RAMS Yota into the timekeeper! Abe-san and his table go flying! Evil gets the mic to tell Yota that this is what he gets! The fans boo but Evil tells them off, too! Evil stomps Yota then soaks up the heat.
Evil unties the blue buckle pad himself, then waits in the ring. The ref checks Yota and the fans rally up again. The Young Lions help Abe-san while Yota drags himself up. Yota slides in, the fans cheer, but Evil pulls on Yota’s hair! Evil wrenches the hair, then wrenches it again! And again! Evil CLUBS the hair! The ref reprimands but Evil just dusts off his hands. Evil covers, but the ref refuses to count! Evil is furious but he’s the one up to no good! The ref still says no, so Evil stands on Yota’s head. The fans rally up, Yota rises, and he grins as he winds up to ROCK Evil with a forearm! And ROCK him with another!
Yota ROCKS Evil again, but Evil whips him into the bare buckles! Yota falls and the ref reprimands about the missing buckle pad. Evil stomps Yota, covers, TWO! The fans cheer but Evil is annoyed. Evil scuffs Yota, taunts him, and drags him up. Evil CHOPS, Yota drops to his knees, but Evil stands him back up. Evil CHOPS again and Yota grits his teeth as he drops to his knees! Evil stands Yota up again, to fake the chop to CLAW the eyes! The ref reprimands, Evil lets off, and then Evil stands on Yota in a corner. The ref counts, Evil lets go of the ropes but that’s not the problem! Evil steps away, drags Yota up but claims he’s dead weight.
The ref checks, Evil stands Yota up and wrenches an arm. Evil whips Yota into a corner, runs in, but into a BOOT! Evil runs in again, blocks the boot, but Yota brings Evil in for the STOMP! The fans fire up while Yota rests on the mat. The fans rally up and Yota rises again. Evil’s in the corner, runs out, but into the BACKBREAKER! COMPLETE SHOT! STOMP! The fans fire up again as Yota stands back up. Yota runs, to CURB STOMP!! Yota roars and the fans fire up again! Evil flounders while Yota aims. Yota runs in, but the ref is used as a shield! Evil kicks Yota low, then uses the ref in MAGIC KILLER!
All three men are down while the fans rally up again. Evil stands, he brings Yota up, and the ref also rises. Evil whips Yota into the bare buckles, then clotheslines him in! Then FISHERMAN BUSTER! Cover, but Evil lets off?! Evil wants to torture Yota but it’s hard to say if Yota is still even in this. Yota opens his eyes, rises up, but Evil fireman’s carries! DARKNESS FALLS! Cover, TWO!! Yota survives, the fans fire up, but Evil is furious! Evil slashes his throat and vows to end this now! Evil drags Yota up, spins him around, but Yota fights the STO with elbows! Evil kicks low, whips again, but Yota stops from hitting buckles!
Evil runs in, Yota dodges and Evil hits the buckles! SUPERKICK!! Both men are down again and the fans fire back up! We’re only ten minutes into this new match but this is on top of the madness from earlier. Evil drags Yota up, but Yota ROCKS Evil! Evil fights Yota’s fireman’s carry and CLUBS him, but both men wobble. Evil LARIATS, but Yota stays up! The fans fire up but Evil swings to LARIAT again! Yota drops to a knee, but he grins through the pain! Evil says alright, and he throws off his elbow pad. Evil runs to LARIAT! Yota grits his teeth to stay up! V-TRIGGER! Yota brings Evil in, suplexes, ORANGE CRUSH! Cover, TWO!!
Evil is still in this but the fans rally behind Yota again. Yota rises, drags Evil up, and then goes to the corner. Yota goes up and up and Evil moves the ref into the way! The ref takes the FLYING CURB STOMP!!! And now the House returns! The fans boo as Kanemaru, Dick, Yujiro, Narita & Jack all stomp away on Yota again! The fans tell them to go home, again, but these guys don’t care! They just put one out on Yota. They whip Yota to a corner, then DIck runs in to ELBOW! Kanemaru ELBOWS! Yujiro BOOTS! Jack SPLASHES! Narita ELBOWS! Then they snapmare and set Yota up! Dick climbs for the DICK CHOP!!
The fans boo but the House applauds their own dirtiness. But here come Bushi & Hiromu again! But they just get mugged again! They set Hiromu up for the DICK CHOP, while Bushi gets a JACK CHOP! The House then slithers away before a replacement ref rushes out here. Evil drags Yota up, winds up and runs, to LARIAT!! Cover, TWO!!! Yota survives and the fans are thunderous! Evil is at a loss for words, but he slashes his throat! He vows to end it for real, and he reels Yota in. EVERYTHING IS- Yota flips through!? And HEADBUTTS!! The fans fire up as Yota reels Evil in for a fireman’s carry! 70 CROSS!! Cover, TWO!!
Evil survives the swinging spinebuster and the House cheers! Yota drags himself to a corner, drags himself up with the ropes, and roars as he takes aim! Evil rises, but Yujiro distracts! Dick runs in, but gets a V-TRIGGER! The ref sees Dick, but misses the LOW BLOW! Then Evil RAMS Yota into the ref! That’s the second ref this match! Narita gets his push-up bar! The others set Yota up, but here comes SHINGO TAKAGI! The Rampaging Dragon has seen enough, and he’s still pissed from yesterday as it is! He dodges Narita to PUMPING BOMBER! Kanemaru & Yujiro kick Takagi, double whip, but he DOUBLE PUMPING BOMBERS!!
Jack gets in, but he gets ELBOW, JAB and YUKON LARIAT! Evil runs up but Takagi SWATS Evil’s lariat to JAB! Then feed to Hiromu’s SUPERKICK! Hiromu & Takagi set Evil up for Bushi’s BLACK MIST!! Evil can’t see, the PUMPING BOMBER turns him inside-out!! The fans are thunderous as LIJ helps Yota up! Red Shoes hurries out here, and Yota aims at Evil! GENE BLASTER!!! Cover, Yota wins!!!
Winner: Yota Tsuji, by pinfall (advances to the finals)
The House of Torture ran out of tricks, and now there is light at the end of the tournament! Will Yota do LIJ proud and bring home the Cup?
2024 New Japan Cup Semifinals: SANADA VS Hirooki Goto!
One down, one to go. Yota Tsuji has made it through, now we see who joins him in the finals! Will the Cold Skull or Fierce Warrior be the one that steps closer to former glory?
The bell rings and the fans duel between “GO-TO-O!” and “SA-NA-DA!” Red Shoes measures the levels, and it seems to slightly favor Goto. Goto and Sanada circle, tie up, and are in a deadlock. Goto gets some leverage to put Sanada against ropes, but he lets off slowly. Goto pats Sanada on the shoulders and the fans cheer. The two reset, circle again, and tie up again. It’s another deadlock, but again Goto finds a way to put Sanada on ropes. Sanada turns things around, lets off slowly, and also pats Goto on the shoulders. The fans applaud and the two reset again. They feel things out, knuckle lock, then move to a clinch.
They fight for control, Sanada starts pushing Goto towards a corner but Goto slips away. They feel things out, knuckle lock again, then break. They tie up collar ‘n’ elbow, Goto waistlocks, but Sanada wrenches to wristlock. Goto rolls, wrenches, wristlocks, but Sanada spins, wrenches, only for Goto to roll! Goto gets a leg to trip Sanada up, and he has a toehold. Sanada fights back with a chinlock but Goto pulls on the leg. Sanada uses his free leg to hook Goto into an ARMBAR, but Goto clasps hands! Goto moves around, pops free, then headlocks. Sanada fights up, Goto grinds the headlock, but Sanada throws body shots.
Sanada powers up and out, but Goto runs him over! The fans rally as things speed up, and Goto counters hip toss with hip toss! Goto runs and he clotheslines Sanada up and out! The fans fire up and Goto slides out after Sanada. Goto stomps Sanada, drags him up, then CLUBS him on the neck! Sanada staggers, Goto CHOPS him, then kicks him, then CLUBS him! Goto whips but Sanada stops himself from hitting railing! Goto runs in but Sanada drop toeholds him into the railing! Goto goes down in a heap, but Sanada opens the gate. Sanada brings Goto through, then to the crowd! PILEDRIVER to the bare floor!
The fans are stunned but Red Shoes reprimands. Sanada leaves Goto behind and slides into the ring. The fans rally for Goto as the ring count begins. Goto crawls at 5 of 20, finds his way to ringside at 10, but still hobbles and crawls. He stands at 17 to slide in! The fans cheer, but Sanada stomps Goto. Sanada drags Goto up, CLUBS him on the neck, then brings him back up to CLUB him again. Goto CHOPS! And CHOPS! Sanada eggs Goto on so Goto CHOPS again! Goto whips, Sanada reverses to RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP! Cover, TWO! Sanada keeps cool and sits Goto up into a chinlock. Goto endures and the fans rally again.
Goto kicks forward, reaches out, but Sanada cranks on the hold! Goto keeps fighting, and has the ROPEBREAK! Sanada lets go cleanly, but then he stomps Goto while he’s down. Sanada then stands Goto up to CLUB him on the neck. Goto CHOPS in return! And CHOPS, and CHOPS, and has Sanada in a corner! Goto CHOPS again, then whips corner to corner. Goto runs in, but Sanada BOOTS first! Sanada runs, Goto follows, and Goto LARIATS Sanada down! The fans fire up and Goto rises, clutching his neck. Goto stands Sanada up to fire off forearms, then he whips corner to corner. Goto runs in, MURAMASA!
Sanada wobbles, into the SAIDO! Cover, TWO! The fans fire up while Goto grits his teeth. Goto drags Sanada up, fireman’s carries, but Sanada fights free! Sanada waistlocks, Goto throws elbows, then runs. Sanada hurdles, hurdles, and DROPKICKS! Goto tumbles out of the ring, Sanada PLANCHAS him down! The fans fire up and Sanada encourages them to get louder. The fans get louder and Sanada appreciates it. Sanada then goes back for Goto, brings him up and puts him in the ring. Sanada fireman’s carries but Goto throws elbows! Sanada turns around into Goto’s fireman’s carry, but then slips out into the dragon sleeper!
But Goto arm-drags free! Sanada kicks low, runs, but Goto follows! Sanada dodges this time, runs again, but Goto still follows! Sanada sidesteps this time, but Goto holds ropes to avoid the hurdle! Goto runs in, but Sanada fireman’s carries! T K O! Cover, TWO! Goto is still in this and the fans rally up! Sanada goes up the corner, ROUNDING BODY- NO, Sanada has to land out as Goto moves! Sanada runs in, but into the fireman’s carry! USHIGOROSHI! Both men are down and the fans fire up again! They cheer on “GO-TO-O!” but the “SA-NA-DA!” chants are still there. Red Shoes checks them both, and both men slowly rise.
The two crawl towards each other, and Goto fires a forearm! Sanada shakes his head, eggs Goto on, so Goto throws another! Goto eggs Sanada on, so Sanada fires a forearm! Goto fires a forearm back, and the two stand. Sanada UPPERCUTS! Goto comes back to forearm! Sanada UPPERCUTS again, and Goto drops back to a knee! The fans rally, Goto stands again, and he forearms! UPPERCUT, forearm, repeat! Goto growls, fires a flurry of forearms, and he ROCKS Sanada! Sanada drops to his hand and knees but Goto powers up! Goto KICKS but Sanada blocks! Goto fires more forearms, then waistlocks, but Sandaa fights free!
Sanada runs, but Goto fireman’s carries! And he throws Sanada into the dragon sleeper! But Sanada turns around and suplexes, for MAGIC SCREW! Both men are down again and the fans fire back up! Sanada roars as he rises up, and he aims from a corner. Sanada wants Goto to get up, and Goto sits up, into the SHINING WIZARD! Sanada then dragon sleepers, for the SKULL END!! Goto endures, flails, reaches out, but he’s caught in the body scissors! Goto fights around but he’s fading! The fans rally, Goto’s hand drops! Sanada lets him go to then climb! ROUNDING BODY PRESS! Cover, TWO!!
The fans fire up as Goto survives but Sanada storms around. Sanada drags Goto up, reels him in and clinches, but Goto slips free to shove Sanada away! Sanada forearms, ROLLING- HEADBUTT from Goto! The fans fire up and duel, and Goto drags Sanada up. But Sanada breaks free! Goto HEADBUTTS again! Sanada falls back down and Goto steadies himself. Goto roars, the fans are with him, and Goto sits Sanada up. Goto runs to PENALTY KICK! Shoutout to Shibata and the fans fire up more! Sanada grits his teeth as he sits back up but Goto takes aim! BUZZSAW! And then he hauls Sanada up to dragon sleeper! G T- BACKSLIDE COUNTER! TWO!!!
Sanada and Goto hurry up, Sanada dodges to O’Conner BRIDGE!! TWO?!!? Goto escapes and shocks everyone! Sanada resets, runs in, SHINING WIZARD!! The fans are thunderous as Sanada roars and drags Goto back up! Clinch and DEAD- NO, Goto slips around to ripcord and fireman’s carry! G T W!! Cover, TWO?!?!? Sanada survives but Goto is all fired up! The fans are thunderous as Goto dragon sleepers for G T R!!! Cover, GOTO WINS!!!
Winner: Hirooki Goto, by pinfall (advances to the finals)
Don’t call it a comeback, Goto’s been here for years! Sanada’s hopes of being IWGP World Heavyweight Champion again have been delayed, how long must he wait for another chance?
As for Goto, he’s going back to the New Japan Cup Finals for the first time since 2016, and his seventh overall! But before he can get the mic to speak, Yota makes his way back out here. Yota steps into the ring and he gets the mic first. Yota tells Goto, “In order to open the door to a new era, we must do this.” The fans applaud that, and Yota continues by asking Goto, “Are you ready?!” Yota drops the mic at Goto’s feet, and Goto stands up to speak. “I also have something I want to show you. As a three-time New Japan Cup Champion, I will show you my strength.” The fans like the sound of that!
The Fierce Warrior stares down with Gene Blast, a true generational showdown on the horizon! Will Goto return not juts to former glory, but finally ascend to top of NJPW? Or will Yota make it LIJ VS LIJ for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship?
My Thoughts:
A great semifinal round for this tournament, with quite a surprising main event. Sanada VS Goto was great stuff, and while I felt Sanada wasn’t winning the Cup, I didn’t think he’d be out this round. Yota VS Evil was rather creatively put together, too. I did not think the House would get so involved that at first it was a No Contest but then they restart under a ringside ban. Takagi making sure Yota won was good stuff, too, maybe we can get Takagi VS Evil for the NEVER Openweight Championship if they’re not gonna circle back to more Shota Umino VS House of Torture stuff.
Goto VS Yota is going to be great stuff, and Goto is clearly a top utility guy. He’s had so many New Japan Cup finals appearances, certainly among the most ever, but I don’t think he gets a fourth Cup win against Yota, one of the “new era Musketeers” that NJPW clearly loves. Yota VS Naito is definitely the title match for Sakura Genesis.
My Score: 8.9/10
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