WWE RAW aired live from the ThunderDome. It was the final episode of RAW before WWE Elimination Chamber this Sunday. In addition to the takeaways below, Bad Bunny pinned Akira Tozawa to become the new 24/7 Champion tonight.
RAW Results (2/15)
- Riddle & Lucha House Party def. Hurt Business
- Charlotte & Asuka vs. Lacey Evans & Peyton Royce ended in a no contest
- Kofi Kingston def. The Miz to qualify for the Elimination Chamber match
- Shayna Baszler def. Lana via submission
- Sheamus won the Gauntlet match to become the final entrant in the Elimination Chamber match
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
The Miz Removed Himself From The Elimination Chamber Match
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre was a guest on Miz TV tonight. The Miz brought up Sheamus betraying McIntyre and suggested that they weren’t ever best friends anyway. Miz claimed he would be furious if WWE management robbed him of getting revenge on Sheamus and defend the WWE Championship in the Elimination Chamber.
McIntyre shouted at Miz to shut the hell up and got in his face. Drew told Miz not to interrupt him and Miz immediately started talking. McIntyre hit Miz with the Glasgow Kiss and launched the MITB briefcase to the stage.
The Miz slowly got up and said that we are starting to see the cracks in the WWE Champion. Miz referred to Drew McIntyre as “Andy” and said he doesn’t blame him for feeling pressure heading into Elimination Chamber. The Miz stated he feels no pressure because he is bring the MITB contract to the chamber.
Miz added that he is a master strategist and he wants every superstar to be on notice. The Miz said when it is all said and done, he will be standing as champion. The Miz then announced he is removing himself from the Elimination Chamber match because he is in control.
Riddle & Lucha House Party Picked Up A Win
Riddle & Lucha House Party squared off against Hurt Business in the first match of the night. Shelton Benjamin leveled Lince Dorado with a shoulder tackle to start off the action. Cedric Alexander tagged in and continued to beat down Dorado as United States Champion Bobby Lashley watched on from backstage.
Metalik tagged in and hit Alexander with a Crossbody. Hurt Business took control as RAW went to a commercial break. When RAW returned, Hurt Business had Metalik isolated in the corner and took turns beating him down. Metalik finally was able to battle back and planted Benjamin with a DDT.
Riddle tagged in and planted Cedric with an Exploder Suplex. Riddle followed it up with a running kick to the face but MVP tagged in. MVP hit Riddle with a Clothesline but appeared to tweak his right knee. MVP hit the Ballin Elbow Drop and went for the cover but Lucha House Party broke it up at two.
Cedric hit Metalik with the Lumbar Check but turned around into a Superkick from Lince. Dorado hit Benjamin with a Splash outside the ring. Riddle leveled MVP and made his way to the top rope. Riddle connected with the Floating Bro for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Bobby Lashley attacked Riddle and Lucha House Party on the entrance ramp. Lashley then applied the Hurt Lock to Riddle on the entrance ramp and tossed him to the floor. Lashley will defend the United States Championship against Riddle & Keith Lee in a Triple Threat match this Sunday at the Elimination Chamber PPV.
Lacey Evans Announced She Is Pregnant
Charlotte Flair & RAW Women’s Champion Asuka faced Lacey Evans & Peyton Royce tonight. Asuka will defend the RAW Women’s Championship against Lacey Evans this Sunday at Elimination Chamber. Ric Flair accompanied Lacey Evans to the ring.
Asuka and Peyton Royce started off the action and circled each other in the ring before locking up. Peyton drove Asuka to the corner of the ring before the referee broke them up. Asuka went to work on Royce’s arm before Charlotte tagged in.
Flair launched Royce into the turnbuckle and dared Lacey Evans to tag in. Lacey backed away and Charlotte planted Peyton with a Fallaway Slam. Asuka tagged in and Royce connected with a boot to the face. Charlotte and Asuka took turns beating Royce down before Peyton forced Lacey to tag in.
Lacey hopped off the apron and started retreating up the entrance ramp. Lacey grabbed the microphone and told Charlotte that she is pregnant. Ric Flair shouted “you can call me daddy!” and Evans’ music played to end the match in a no contest.
Kofi Kingston Will Replace The Miz
The Miz squared off against Kofi Kingston tonight on RAW. If The Miz won, John Morrison would replace him in the Elimination Chamber match. Kofi would get that spot if picked up the victory.
Kofi escaped the Skull Crushing Finale and went for Trouble in Paradise but Miz was able to get out of the way. Kofi sent Miz out of the ring and hit him with a Crossbody. Back in the ring, Kingston went for the cover but Miz kicked out at two.
Kingston followed it up with a Dropkick for another near fall. The Miz connected with a Neckbreaker outside the ring as RAW went to a commercial break. When RAW returned, The Miz hit Kingston with a DDT for a two count.
Miz threw Kofi out of the ring and bounced his head off the announce table. The Miz then launched Kingston into the barricade before the action returned to the ring. Miz slammed Kingston into the ring post and followed it up with a kick to the face for a near fall.
Kofi leveled Miz with a Double Stomp and bought himself some time to regroup. Kingston hit the Boom Drop and went for Trouble in Paradise but Miz countered into a roll-up for a two count. Kingston hit SOS for another near fall. Kingston went for a Crossbody but Miz rolled through into a cover for another two count.
The Miz hung up Kingston in the ropes and attacked Kofi’s knee. The Miz then locked in the Figure Four in the middle of the ring but Kingston was able to reach the bottom rope to break the hold. Kingston escaped the Skull Crushing Finale and hit Trouble in Paradise for the pinfall victory. Kofi Kingston is now in the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber this Sunday.
Alexa Bliss Interrupted Randy Orton
Randy Orton cut a backstage promo tonight vowing to win tonight’s Gauntlet match and become the final superstar released from his pod in the Elimination Chamber. Orton said he will win the WWE Championship at Elimination Chamber and headline WrestleMania.
Alexa Bliss interrupted and said that “he” was destroyed by fire but in the future he will be reborn. It was then revealed that Bliss was sitting on a pentagram with candles on it. Bliss laughed into the camera to end the segment.
Shayna Baszler Tapped Out Lana
Shayna Baszler faced Lana tonight on RAW. Naomi and Nia Jax were ringside for the match. Baszler dominated the match early and shoved her knee into the back of Lana’s head. Lana knocked Shayna to the canvas and hit her with a Crossbody off the top rope for a near fall. Baszler booted Lana in the face as Nia Jax attacked Naomi outside the ring.
Naomi shoved Nia into the ring post but Shayna grabbed her from behind. Lana capitalized on the distraction and rolled up Shayna for a two count. Shayna quickly locked in the Kirifuda Clutch for the submission victory.
Braun Strowman Confronted Adam Pearce
Braun Strowman confronted Adam Pearce backstage and complained about not being included in the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match. Pearce pointed out that it only includes former WWE Champions and not Universal Champions. Pearce added that he was just the messenger and it was Shane McMahon’s call. Strowman said Shane needs to fix this or there will be consequences.
Sheamus Will Be The Final Entrant In The Elimination Chamber
AJ Styles faced Kofi Kingston in the first round of the Gauntlet match. The winner will enter the Elimination Chamber last this Sunday. Omos and Xavier Woods were ringside for the match. Styles and Kofi started out back and forth but Omos attacked Woods outside the ring. Omos Chokeslammed Woods over the barricade and onto the concrete. Omos was kicked out from ringside and Styles capitalized on the distraction and hit Kingston with a chop block to the knee as RAW went to a break.
When RAW returned, Styles locked in a Half Crab in the middle of the ring. Kofi broke free but Styles hit him with another chop block. Kingston hit a Knee Drop and went for the cover but AJ kicked out at two. AJ went back to work on Kofi’s injured leg and then set up for the Phenomenal Forearm. AJ connected and pinned Kingston to advance in the Gauntlet match.
AJ Styles faced WWE Champion Drew McIntyre next in the Gauntlet match. McIntyre hit a Clothesline and then a boot to the face that sent Styles out of the ring as RAW went to a break. McIntyre launched Styles into the top turnbuckle for a near fall when RAW returned.
Styles retreated out of the ring and McIntyre chased after him. Drew sent Styles flying into the steel steps and brought him back into the ring. McIntyre hit a Falcon Arrow and went for the cover but AJ kicked out at the last moment. Drew connected with a Reverse Alabama Slam and went for the Claymore but AJ countered with a Dropkick.
AJ sent McIntyre out of the ring and hit him with the Phenomenal Forearm outside the ring. Styles then threw McIntyre into the ring post as RAW went to a commercial break. McIntyre planted Styles with a Neckbreaker and made his way to the top rope. Drew leaped but Styles was ready and hit him with a Pele Kick.
McIntyre countered the Styles Clash into a Back Body Drop and then unloaded some chops to AJ’s chest in the corner of the ring. Styles went for the Calf Crusher and locked it in but McIntyre broke free with a headbutt. McIntyre dodged the Phenomenal Forearm and hit Styles with the Claymore for the pinfall victory.
Drew McIntyre then battled Jeff Hardy in the Gauntlet match. Jeff Hardy hit McIntyre with a Dropkick to the ribs that knocked the WWE Champion out of the ring. Jeff hit McIntyre with a Clothesline off the ring apron as RAW went to a commercial break.
When RAW returned, Hardy went for a Jawbreaker but McIntyre countered with a knee to the face. Drew planted Jeff with a Neckbreaker and followed it up with the Future Shock DDT for a two count. McIntyre and Jeff Hardy traded punches on the top turnbuckle. The WWE Champion got the better of the exchange and connected with a Superplex for another near fall.
McIntyre went for the Claymore but Jeff was able to get out of the way. Jeff planted McIntyre with the Twist of Fate and climbed to the top turnbuckle. Hardy went for the Swanton Bomb but McIntyre was able to get his knees up. McIntyre connected with the Claymore for the pinfall victory and to advance in the Gauntlet match.
Drew McIntyre faced Randy Orton in the next round of the Gauntlet match. McIntyre sent Orton out of the ring and Alexa Bliss appeared on every screen in the ThunderDome. Bliss’ laughter distracted Orton and he was counted out. McIntyre hit Orton with the Claymore as he tried to get back into the ring.
Sheamus was the final superstar in the Gauntlet match and he attacked McIntyre from behind. Sheamus sent McIntyre into the barricade and then rolled the WWE Champion back into the ring. Sheamus stomped on McIntyre until the referee pulled him away.
The referee asked McIntyre if he still wanted to have the match with Sheamus and Drew said yes. The referee rang the bell and Sheamus attacked McIntyre in the corner of the ring. Sheamus controlled the match for the next several minutes and taunted McIntyre while beating him down.
McIntyre hit the Glasgow Kiss and then the Future Shock DDT. Drew planted Sheamus with a Powerslam and then both superstars stumbled back to their feet. McIntyre went for the Claymore but Sheamus got out of the way and hit the Brogue Kick for the pinfall victory. Sheamus will enter the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber last this Sunday. Sheamus shouted that he will prove this wasn’t a fluke and will win the chamber match to close tonight’s show.