Raw Talk is pulling into the Fastlane!

With so much going into the PPV, the Guru of Greatness, Hollywood A-Lister, Scottish Warrior AND #SexyMuscleFriends are here to talk what we saw on Monday Night Raw!

Kevin Patrick welcomes us back!

Fastlane is right around the corner and Monday Night Raw certainly whet the appetite! New tag champions, Bobby Lashley is ready for his WrestleMania opponent, and look who has his baby back! R-Truth is once again WWE 24/7 Champion! Truth and K-Peezy may not have a duo name yet, but boom! They get to share this moment together! How did he manage it? Well, y’know, Bad Bunny and him negotiated stuff, waa waa waa, Truth gave Bad Bunny the Stone Cold Championship, Bunny gave him back the 24/7 Championship. Truth takes another chug of Steveweiser, and he’s celebrating. Kevin says that’s not fair, where’s one for him? Oh, Kevin drink-drinks? Well, he doesn’t wanna say it, but he is Irish.

Well then let’s celebrate together! Just in time for 3:16! Truth will give Kevin this one. Well Kevin doesn’t want to take it if it’s his last one. Nah, Truth can get more later. Alright, well, they’ll cheers at the end of the show. Deal. But what a night! Electric inside the ThunderDome as Lashley beats Sheamus. But from start to finish, it was a busy night for Lashley. If you want a tough match, go against Sheamus. Sheamus hits hard. Yeah, Truth says Lashley is something, too, that was Clash of the Titans tonight. How was that? That was definitely what it was. Kevin is psychic! But Kevin also reminds us that it will be Lashley VS McIntyre at WrestleMania! That’s big!

Truth’s reaction to this news? Truth likes them both, but he doesn’t like Lashley as much because of that time he put Truth in “Nelson from the Simpsons.” But McIntyre is Truth’s guy, he’s a fighter, but Lashley is “Deebo’s cousin’s nephew.” Lashley hurts people. But it’ll be about who wants it more! Who does Kevin think? Kevin never bets against McIntyre, but Lashley having a laugh? No chance. It’s Lashley over McIntyre to Kevin. Just don’t tell McIntyre later when he’s a guest. Oh he is? And then McIntyre is going against Sheamus at Fastlane. If McIntyre makes it to Mania, he’s still in for a fight.

But then, new tag team champions in the New Day! ELEVEN times! Wow, elevem! Elevem? Yes, elevem. Let’s cheer now! Cheers to Austin! A quick swig and Truth’s reaction is, “New! Day Rocks!” New Day are Truth’s boys. They don’t back down from no one. And then there was Asuka’s return, and she beat up Shayna. Truth says was it necessary for Asuka to go that far? Kevin says that’s just fair for getting a tooth kicked out. Yeah, sure, but a bare buckle… Well okay, you kick my dog, I kick your cat, all that. And Kevin congratulates Truth on the 24/7 Championship win, but does Truth even know how many reigns he’s had? Truth has to take a second.

Truth is pretty sure it’s 49 or 50. He’ll double check with his people but that’s his guess. Kevin says he’s even more than that! Truth is a FIFTY-ONE time 24/7 Champion! Seriously!? Give it up to Truth and 51 reigns! But from one super superstar to some more, we have quite the line up! First up are the AWESOME A-Lister and Guru of Greatness!

The Miz & John Morrison join Raw Talk!

Truth digs Morrison’s hair. And Truth knows Miz is having a bad day. Morrison heard Truth call Kevin “Danica Patrick” at some point. Kevin hopes Truth remembers his name more. We’ll get there. Kevin asks how Miz is doing and Miz says his chest hurts, his body hurts. And after facing McIntyre tonight, facing Bobby Lashley twice in one night then again when he’s not 100%, how is Miz the bad guy? Miz sees himself as the good guy, the underdog. Shouldn’t we cheer Miz and say he is deserving of another title shot? It should at least be a Triple Threat, Lashley VS McIntyre VS Miz. Miz creates rating! Kevin says Miz was cheating, though. Cheating? What cheating?

Morrison asks if Kevin is using his real voice. He is, he’s from Dublin. So a big Sheamus fan, huh? Big Sheamus fan over here~! Kevin tries to put on a Chicago accent but Miz says it’s not very good. Isn’t Sheamus from Belfast, though? No, he’s from Dublin. That was a test, Kevin passed. Truth asks what Miz and Morrison have against Bad Bunny. Yeah, why did they have to do that to him? Truth traded titles with Bunny, he’s a good dude. Morrison takes this one by saying Bunny is just giving stuff away, but he doesn’t respect the business. Bunny didn’t make Truth earn that belt. Bunny shows up like it’s a playhouse.

Truth asks what Morrison means by “earning” the title. Truth has worked hard for this. But now it’s a consolation prize! Miz asks, “Who gives titles away?” You give candy away on Halloween! TO KIDS! You don’t do that with titles! If Bunny respects the business, then he should’ve shook everyone’s hand and shut his mouth. You don’t step to Miz, step to Morrison. Win Grammys, sell records, but you get in the ring, you will get hurt. Bunny earned his Grammy, just like Truth should’ve earned the title. Morrison says Bunny has respect for everyone else except the people in WWE. Miz respects what Bunny has done in his music career, and has done big things outside of the WWE. But he can go do those things. Don’t step into Miz’s ring thinking you will make a difference.

Truth says Bunny did make a difference but Morrison says he did not. Truth says it’s about being the change in someone else’s life that you wish he was in Truth’s. Kevin asks Miz if he was waiting for a moment to strike. Morrison says Bunny pitied Truth. Truth says like it or not, he’s got it. Now if you’re bad, get off the set. No, Miz waited all night for this. Do they think he was being all excited for this?! Talking to Truth and some new guy! Truth says Miz shouldn’t talk about K-Peezy like that! Miz says tonight’s episode is being watched because of Miz and Morrison! They can’t even be sure Kevin is using his real voice! Kevin “from Chicago,” ladies and gentlemen!

Miz and Morrison leave, Kevin and Truth say they’re running scared. What disrespect! Truth has his title. It doesn’t matter how you skin the cat, just that the cat gets skinned! But hopefully our next duo of guests show more respect. Truth wants Kevin to step up as the host. Kevin cues up a quick salute to Stone Cold for 3:16 Day, and 25 years of Steve Austin! Moving on, we get the #SexyMuscleFriends!

Dana Brooke & Mandy Rose join Raw Talk!

Coming off a big win against Lana & Naomi, these two are here feeling great. Kevin makes sure they know his name is Kevin, not “some guy.” And he’s not from Chicago, he’s actually from Dublin. They trust him. Ignore Miz & Morrison, they were just angry. These two promise to keep things light. Kevin asks them about how Truth was trying to get them to have a beer before their match. Dana says she has never had a beer in her life. A little drink ain’t gonna hurt. Not before a match. They got a good win, Dana was focused. They can celebrate, just not beer.

Kevin says tonight’s win was really good, and seeing Dana taunt Nia, what was going on there? Dana wants the Women’s Tag Team Championships. They have worked so hard for this off camera, endless hours. They’re in the ring as often as they can, and Mandy says it’s time for a change. Look at these two. Are they not a perfect team? Do they not look like champions? But it’s also what’s inside that matters, and they have what it takes there. A lot of people can relate to endless hours of effort for opportunities yet not getting it yet.

Kevin calls back to how they were facing Shayna & Nia and then they injured Mandy’s hand. Any plans for payback? Of course! And look what Shayna did to Asuka and her tooth a few weeks ago! Shayna & Nia are more liabilities than anything! They hurt people, and have fun doing it! So then if the titles are taken at Fastlane? Would these two go after Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair? Of course! It isn’t about Nia & Shayna, it’s about the titles! Anything can change. But who would they prefer? Nia & Shayna because of payback. Those two deserve it. There is revenge to be served, and it’s about time. Kevin and Truth like how personal this is getting. Time to whoop some ass!

Dana says if you look at Shayna & Nia, they’re a mountain. Dana & Mandy have been climbing, they might get knocked down, but they won’t stop until they overcome the mountain. Dana wants all the girls out there being told they can’t, that you can! Hurt, insulted, injured, don’t let that stop you. Mandy notes her chair is going down and Dana jokes it’s like she’s deflating. Mandy says she needs to go up. But her point is, there are haters who see just two pretty blondes. Which yes, being called pretty is flattering. But what happened to beautiful women being strong, talented, intelligent, etc? Look at Trish Stratus, honestly. That was a role model because she is a bombshell that delivered!

Kevin wants to point something out: they’re a team! They have chemistry! As for Nia & Shayna, they’re letting Reginald get between them! What is that? Mandy hasn’t seen chemistry in Nia & Shayna ever, and Dana notes how they were after each other for a long time. But for Dana and Mandy, they talk the same, act the same, have similar backgrounds, they’re two peas in a pod. Then what would a Mania moment mean tot hem? All the hard work, together as a team, what’d it mean? It’d mean the world. They both have yet to hold titles, and though those aren’t everything, having the moments is key. Moments are what you remember, title or not. But the titles would make it all the sweeter, and those belts would be lookin’ fine on these two! Brilliant!

Kevin thanks them for their time and and Truth high-fives them. Mandy & Dana head out, and Kevin wishes them luck. But from a pair of contenders to the contender to THE WWE Championship, it’s the Scottish Warrior!

Drew McIntyre joins Raw Talk!

McIntyre is on the Road to WrestleMania, but he’ll have to survive Sheamus on Sunday. McIntyre welcomes Kevin to the WWE and Kevin thanks him for that. Kevin notes how Miz is all “broken up.” McIntyre saw Miz’s part. If only they’d run into each other. But how is McIntyre feeling, physically and emotionally? Seeing Sheamus and Lashley was great, that was an absolute performance. Lashley talked trash, tried to make McIntyre look like an idiot, but McIntyre hit him with a Claymore. McIntyre promises, if he hits that at Mania, it’s done. Was that because of the cheap shot earlier tonight? More or less.

McIntyre is trying to be calm about things, he is going to Mania, but this all started with Elimination Chamber. McIntyre surprised himself making it through five other former world champions, winning the big one, and then Lashley struck, Miz pounced, and then Lashley beats Miz. But McIntyre has his match, he’s good. Lashley earned his spot, that McIntyre won’t argue. Even if there was some chicanery. But McIntyre promises he and Lashley will put on a hell of a fight. Truth likes that, that’s why he’s betting on McIntyre, and even Kevin likes how McIntyre put that. Truth knows McIntyre will bring the heat, and then tries to get Kevin to say he was picking Lashley.

Kevin doesn’t like being on the spot. McIntyre says, “As a fellow Celt…” Fellow Celt? Truth says Kevin oughta hand over his kilt. McIntyre thought Kevin was on Team Sheamus. Kevin says that what he said was that he couldn’t bet against Lashley is all. But that’s fine, because they’re fitting to get down. McIntyre knows he can’t overlook Sheamus, he promised they’d go to war. In a normal match, if you can call what that was “normal,” they beat the hell out of each other. Then in No Disqualifications, they did even worse, McIntyre still feels that one. Fastlane, Sheamus wants to take McIntyre out, and Lashley is ready to do the same. They’re all beating the crap out of each other.

Does it hurt inside, though, given the former friendship? McIntyre’s wife even considered Sheamus a friend. Oh yeah, it hurts. The families got along, they each spent time at each other’s homes. They met 20 years ago, McIntyre was 19 and Sheamus was 47 or so, and McIntyre missed a flight so he had to stay with Sheamus for a few days. They realized they both had the same goals, they helped each other. McIntyre got Sheamus going in the ring, Sheamus got McIntyre building up muscle, they got signed and went to America together, each became FCW Heavyweight Champions. The night McIntyre won the WWE Intercontinental Championship, Sheamus won the World Heavyweight Championship (Big Gold).

But as Sheamus’ career went up, McIntyre’s went down, and we know the rest. McIntyre came back, Sheamus supported him, but then things changed where Sheamus stalled. Granted, Sheamus became an accomplished Tag Team Champion, and then one day, Sheamus gets traded to Raw, McIntyre gets the big one, Sheamus gets jealous. Everyone saw Sheamus was being odd. It was all bubbling up because Sheamus kept thinking back to when he was on top and McIntyre was lower on the card. Sheamus wanted McIntyre to do good but not too good, but McIntyre did more than good, and McIntyre was able to stay on top.

Sheamus got on top four times but couldn’t maintain it, and that pissed him off. Jealousy ended a 20 year friendship, it makes McIntyre sick. If Sheamus has just asked, McIntyre would’ve given him a title match, because this is 24/7 to them. Just ask! Do it live on Raw! But all that f- Sorry, bleep that, keep it PG. BLEEP! Well, Truth asked for the title back and Bad Bunny gave it to him. How hard was it for Sheamus to ask McIntyre? McIntyre apologizes for starting to curse, he’s Scottish, it happens. That’s just where he is right now. He’s very passionate because Fastlane, they’ll be tearing Sheamus apart. Kevin and Truth understand.

McIntyre wants his title back, will get it back, and will run through Sheamus. He’s dealing with a 20 year friendship being over, does he look upset? Kevin says he’s understandably upset. Sunday, Fastlane, on both WWE Network and the Peacock, but one last thing. Last year, it was in the WWE Performance Center. This year, finally at Raymond James Stadium. How does that feel? And with fans! Is this what dreams are made of? Yes, this is what it’s been about. McIntyre has had a lot of goals since winning last year, wanted to lead by example into the ThunderDome and so on. McIntyre wanted to keep making it through PPV’s with the title, and then finally get a moment with fans.

There was the blip with Randy Orton but McIntyre learned. It isn’t about fighting to get to the top, but the fight to stay on top. McIntyre vowed to not be taken out during a match, and technically he wasn’t, it was Lashley ambushing him after the Elimination Chamber match. That’s why Lashley has McIntyre’s title, and why McIntyre will do what he must to get it back. McIntyre doesn’t just deserve it, he earned it. Kevin notes that McIntyre used the HURT LOCK to put Miz away. Well McIntyre told Miz that he was going to be made an example, and that’s what happened. Truth says that’s why he’s on Team McIntyre. Kevin apologizes for choosing Lashley, he might run away after this. But he thanks McIntyre for his time and McIntyre thanks them. Don’t miss Fastlane!

Truth and Kevin are buzzing, and one more congrats to becoming WWE 24/7 Champion. Secret handshake! Alright, all the best, tune in for Fastlane!

My Thoughts:

A very good episode for Raw Talk with very good energy for all the guests. Miz and Morrison were able to banter with Truth and “new guy” Kevin very well, and almost too well, I am sure I missed something. Miz trying to spin things onto Bunny like he’s the bad guy is a natural move for a Heel, and it’ll really up things with Bunny and Priest as things move forward. Mandy and Dana had good energy, though Mandy still seems to have a hard time opening up, getting that energy going. She did very good here, perhaps the pressure was off with it just being a talk show format. Mandy and Dana can definitely build back from that time before Shayna hurt Mandy’s hand and “Reckoning” Mia Yim attacked Dana, but I think it’ll be very hard to defeat Nia & Shayna themselves.

The opening segment helping set up McIntyre’s segment with talk of titles and betting odds, it was all really good. McIntyre got some real passion in there, really put things into perspective with the continuity of both men’s WWE careers, and I like that there was a moment he had to calm down and even be censored because he was going that hot. McIntyre is definitely not just giving us kayfabe, his match with Sheamus is going to be a brutal one, as will his match with Lashley. That is going to be great stuff, this Road to WrestleMania will be a lot of fun one way or another. Also, I must’ve lost count, Truth hit 51 reigns? I thought tonight was his 50th but maybe there was one of those nights where it was hot-potatoed around and it was hard to keep up. Congrats, Truth, that is a record that won’t ever be beat.