The March 25th, 2019 episode of WWE RAW aired live from the TD Garden in Boston, MA. Here are 6 takeaways from the show:
Becky Lynch Won A Pointless Beat The Clock Challenge
RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey marched down to the ring to kick off the show. Rousey, Lynch, and Charlotte will compete in a Beat The Clock Challenge against members of The Riott Squad. The crowd chanted “we want Becky!” as Ronda stood in the middle of the ring. Ronda stated that women are going to be the main event at WrestleMania and the crowd cheered. Rousey said “you’re welcome” and then dropped the microphone.
Ronda picked it back up and vowed to tap out Charlotte and Becky at the same time. Rousey dropped the microphone again, only to pick it up once again with a smile on her face. She stated that she has no idea what a Beat the Clock Challenge is and wanted to get this farce over with.
The Riott Squad came down to the ring and was then followed by Lynch. Becky told Ronnie to stop being a little weirdo and added that Rousey was given every opportunity and still nobody gave a damn. Lynch claimed that she saved Ronda’s title run and elevated them to the main event of WrestleMania. Lynch said that WrestleMania will end with the title above her hand and Ronda’s skull below her foot. Charlotte Flair interrupted and stated that they were the main event because of her.
Rousey then chased Sarah Logan around the ring as the clock started. Logan caught her with a shot to the ribs and then slammed her into the second rope. Ronda battled back and applied the Arm Bar to win the match at 1:25. Charlotte squared off against Ruby Riott as Ronda paced around on the entrance ramp. Flair locked in the Figure Eight but the clock ran out. Flair hit Lynch with a boot to the face before Becky’s match against Liv Morgan started.
Becky pulled herself up but Liv quickly attacked her in the corner of the ring as Charlotte cackled ringside. Morgan applied a Headlock but Lynch escaped and connected with a Clothesline. Becky went for the Dis-Arm-Her but Morgan blocked it and sent her into the turnbuckle. Lynch then rolled up Morgan to win the Beat the Clock Challenge.
Rousey’s promo was the only entertaining thing about this segment. The matches were a waste of time and made Riott, Logan, and Morgan look completely incompetent.
Roman Reigns Will Face Drew McIntyre At WrestleMania
Drew McIntyre came down to the ring and rolled footage of his attack on Roman Reigns two weeks ago. McIntyre boasted about destroying Dean Ambrose and defeated Seth Rollins last week on RAW. Drew stated that Reigns should think about his family before he accepts his challenge for a fight at WrestleMania.
Roman Reigns interrupted and made his way to the ring. Reigns got in McIntyre’s face and accepted the challenge. Reigns then told McIntyre to never run his mouth about his wife and kids again.
Roman then attacked McIntyre and launched him into the ring post. McIntyre then hit Roman with a low blow and followed it up with the Claymore Kick. Drew then stood over Reigns as WWE officials rushed the ring.
Kurt Angle Won His Final Match In Boston
Kurt Angle squared off against Samoa Joe tonight on RAW. Before the match, Angle did a backstage interview and thanked Joe for coming over from SmackDown to face him tonight. Baron Corbin interrupted and claimed that fans think that Angle should have retired ten years ago. Corbin vowed to embarass Angle at WrestleMania and Kurt simply said “screw you” before walking away.
Samoa Joe said that he is not a very sentimental person and doesn’t plan on letting Angle ride into the sunset. Joe stated that he couldn’t think of a better way to say goodbye to Kurt than putting him to sleep one last time. Joe started off the match in control and beat Angle down in the corner. Joe then sent Angle tumbling out of the ring and hit him with a Suicide Dive.
Angle battled back and hit three German Suplexes in a row for a near fall. Joe connected with a boot to the face and followed it up with a Senton for a two count. Joe charged at Kurt in the corner but he got out of the way and hit the Angle Slam for a near fall. Joe then locked in the Coquina Clutch but Angle countered into a roll-up for the pinfall victory.
Seth Rollins Vowed To Burn Down Suplex City At WrestleMania
Seth Rollins stated that he wanted to be a champion that inspires people, and claimed that Lesnar does not inspire anyone. Rollins added that he didn’t realize how important his match against Lesnar was so important to the fans until recently.
Rollins said that he had an autograph signing yesterday and everyone told him to slay The Beast at WrestleMania. Seth stated that he has to beat Brock Lesnar because he refuses to let Lesnar be the champion that defines the future of WWE.
Paul Heyman interrupted and joked that the match at WrestleMania was now a Handicap Match, with Lesnar versus Rollins and the entire WWE Universe. Rollins marched up the entrance ramp and Heyman fell on his ass. Heyman shouted that he is just an advocate as Seth laughed in his face. Rollins vowed to burn down Suplex City at WrestleMania.
Triple H’s Career Will Be On The Line At WrestleMania
Triple H congratulated Becky Lynch, Ronda Rousey, and Charlotte Flair on being the main event at WrestleMania 35. He then joked about Batista spitting all over his microphone two weeks ago. Triple H struggled to pull an envelop out of his jacket pocket and said that it was a letter from Batista’s lawyer.
Triple H claimed that Batista only quit because he realized that he could not beat John Cena. HHH then read from the letter and joked that it had lyrics from Spice Girls “Wannabe” (I’ll tell you what I want, what I really really want). HHH revealed that Batista will only fight at WrestleMania if he puts his career on the line.
He stated that if he cannot beat a “self-deluded douche bag” like Batista, then he doesn’t deserve to be in the ring anymore. Triple H then accepted the stipulation and exited the ring.
Drew McIntyre Destroyed Dean Ambrose Again
Dean Ambrose confronted Drew McIntyre backstage and challenged him to a Last Man Standing Match. Drew accepted the challenge and that wound up being the main event of this week’s RAW.
McIntyre dominated the match early and slammed Ambrose into the barricade. Back in the ring, Ambrose leaped off the top rope but McIntyre hit him in the ribs with a kendo stick.
McIntyre bashed Ambrose with the kendo stick several times until it shattered. Dean Clotheslined McIntyre out of the ring and hit him with a Suicide Dive. Drew grabbed the steel steps and bashed Ambrose in the face.
Ambrose got up before the 10 count and McIntyre rolled him back into the ring. McIntyre set up a steel chair in between the ropes and charged at Dean. Ambrose countered and sent McIntyre into the chair and then hit Dirty Deeds.
Dean set up a table in the corner of the ring as McIntyre made his way back up. McIntyre hit a Spinebuster that sent Ambrose through the table. Ambrose got up at the last second but walked right into a Claymore Kick from McIntyre for the victory. McIntyre pointed at the WrestleMania sign as RAW went off the air.
This week’s episode of RAW was terrible. WrestleMania is 13 days away and this show somehow felt like a throwaway episode. The Boston crowd was ready to go tonight and WWE spent three hours boring them to tears. There was so much “sports entertainment” crap that happened tonight that it was painful to watch. If you want to see the SNL Weekend Update duo have an awkward promo with Braun Strowman, click here. Next week’s RAW will have to be one hell of a show to turn this around because as of now I have very little interest in both the Universal and Intercontinental Championship matches at WrestleMania.