WWE RAW aired live from Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, SC. It was the first episode of RAW following WWE Elimination Chamber. New WWE Champion Brock Lesnar appeared during tonight’s show and The Miz revealed who his partner will be against The Mysterios. Seth Rollins & Kevin Owens faced RK-Bro in the main event.
RAW Results
- Alpha Academy def. Street Profits
- Finn Balor & Tommaso Ciampa def. Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler
- Rhea Ripley def. Nikki A.S.H.
- Damian Priest def. Shelton Benjamin to retain the US Title
- Bianca Belair def. Doudrop
- Seth Rollins & Kevin Owens def. RK-Bro to be added to the RAW Tag Title match in 2 weeks
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Lesnar Will Defend The WWE Title At MSG On March 5th
WWE Champion Brock Lesnar kicked off the show and waved his cowboy hat to the cheering crowd. Lesnar thanked the crowd as they chanted “Suplex City!”. Paul Heyman interrupted and made his way to the entrance ramp. Heyman said he was the special counsel for the only real heavyweight champion in WWE, Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
Heyman suggested that Brock Lesnar might not make it to WrestleMania as the WWE Champion. Paul stated that Lesnar has to defend the WWE Championship on March 5th at Madison Square Garden. Heyman noted that he was scheduled to face Bobby Lashley (he’s out for four months due to injury) but he will find the best replacement. Paul went on and on before Brock finally interrupted. Lesnar told Heyman he appreciates him even though he’s such a dick and announced that he will appear on SmackDown this week.
Alpha Academy Picked Up A Win
RAW Tag Team Champions Alpha Academy faced Street Profits tonight. Alpha Academy controlled the action early as RAW went to a commercial break. Ford battled back and sent Gable out of the ring when RAW returned. Montez connected with an Enziguri on Otis that knocked him to the corner. Ford lifted Otis up for a slam but the weight was too much and he fell on top of him for the pinfall victory.
Finn Balor & Tommaso Ciampa def. Roode & Ziggler
Finn Balor returned to RAW this week and teamed with Tommaso Ciampa to face Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler. Ciampa and Ziggler will battle tomorrow night on NXT 2.0.
Dolph didn’t want to start off the match and tagged in Roode. Ciampa went to lock up with Roode but Ziggler distracted him. Roode capitalized with a Headlock and then a shoulder tackle. Ciampa popped right up and leveled Roode with a shoulder tackle of his own. Ciampa then got Roode in a Headlock in the middle of the ring.
Roode drove Ciampa to the corner and Ziggler tagged in. Dolph beat Ciampa down and taunted Balor on the ring apron. Ciampa battled back and unloaded some punches to Dolph’s face. Ciampa exploded out of the corner and connected with a Clothesline. Balor flipped onto Dirty Dawgs outside the ring and posed for the crowd as RAW went to a break.
When RAW returned, Ciampa was trapped in the ring but eventually hit a Clothesline. Balor and Roode tagged in and Finn unloaded some strikes. Roode went for a DDT but Balor countered with a Slingblade. Ziggler broke up the cover but Balor sent him out of the ring with a Clothesline. Roode hit the DDT and went for the pin but Balor kicked out at two.
Finn hit another Slingblade and tagged in Ciampa. Tommaso hit a knee to the face and went for the Fairy Tale Ending but Roode blocked it. Ciampa hit a Sunset Flip into a cover for the pinfall victory.
Logan Paul Will Team With The Miz At WrestleMania
The Miz made his way to the ring to begin the 2nd hour of RAW for an episode of Miz TV. Miz boasted about flying in a private jet and claimed that everyone in the crowd wants the success he has. The Miz turned his attention to Rey Mysterio and claimed that they weren’t much different because they both do whatever it takes to win.
Miz wondered why the crowd looks passed Rey Mysterio using his son to defeat him at Elimination Chamber. The Miz stated that the crowd cannot be trusted and he has found a new tag team partner that he relates to going into WrestleMania. Miz said that his tag partner is very “dashing” before The Mysterios interrupted.
Rey said that he is not the same as Miz and he doesn’t think there is anyone in the back that would partner up with him. Miz told Rey that he didn’t deserve to win that match at Elimination Chamber and joked that Dominik doesn’t even deserve a WWE contract.
Dominik grabbed the microphone and challenged Miz to say something else about his father. The Miz cut him off and introduced Logan Paul as his tag team partner. Logan told Rey that he’s got pool toys bigger than him and a brawl broke out. The Miz and Logan Paul stood tall and Logan planted Dominik with the Skull Crushing Finale.
Rhea Ripley def. Nikki A.S.H.
Rhea Ripley battled her former tag team partner Nikki A.S.H. in a singles match. Nikki hit a forearm to the face to start off the action. Ripley responded with a delayed vertical Suplex and Nikki rolled out of the ring. Rhea chased Nikki down and bounced her face off the announce table. Back in the ring, Rhea connected with the Riptide for the pinfall victory.
Damian Priest Retained The US Title, Will Defend Against Finn Balor Next Week
Damian Priest defended the United States Championship tonight against Shelton Benjamin. Shelton got in some offense early but Damian quickly battled back. Shelton sent the champion to the outside and Cedric Alexander got in a cheap shot. Back in the ring, Shelton connected with an Olympic Slam and went for the cover but Damian kicked out at two.
Priest beat Benjamin down in the corner of the ring before hitting him with a roundhouse kick to the face. Cedric hopped on the ring apron for a distraction but Damian knocked him to the floor and planted Shelton with the Reckoning for the pinfall victory. Damian Priest is still the United States Champion.
After the match, Damian Priest got on the microphone and said that Shelton Benjamin is one of the few superstars who will fight him like a man. Priest noted that it is WrestleMania season and wanted a challenger. Finn Balor answered the call and said he will see Damian Priest next week.
Reggie Apologized To Dana Brooke
Reggie made his way to the ring and introduced Dana Brooke. Reggie said that he had a horrible feeling in his stomach and apologized for rolling her up at a restaurant and winning the 24/7 title after she turned down his romantic advances. Reggie called a referee to the ring and laid down on the canvas. Dana went for the cover but Reggie kicked out at two. Reggie apologized again and this time Dana Brooke got the cover for the victory. Everyone in the 24/7 Championship picture then chased the two around to end the segment.
Bianca Belair def. Doudrop
Bianca Belair cut a promo tonight and complimented every woman that was in the Elimination Chamber match. Belair said she is the EST and has been working non-stop to get to WrestleMania. Bianca vowed to take the RAW Women’s Championship from Becky Lynch.
Becky interrupted and noted that they are the only two women to have won the main event of WrestleMania and now they are wrestling each other. Lynch boasted about defeating Belair in 26 seconds at SummerSlam. The crowd booed and Lynch claimed that they all turned on her after she beat Belair, thus she now hates Belair. Doudrop’s music hit and RAW went to a break.
Bianca Belair battled Doudrop as RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch was on commentary. Doudrop dominated the match early and caught Belair with a Crossbody outside the ring as Bianca was distracted with Becky. Back in the ring, Doudrop went for a Senton but Belair got out of the way. Bianca hit a standing Moonsault and tried to Suplex Doudrop but she blocked it.
Belair then connected with a Suplex as Becky was annoyed on commentary. Doudrop planted Belair with a Michinoku Driver and went for the cover but Bianca kicked out at two. Doudrop climbed to the 2nd rope but Belair caught her with a massive Powerbomb. Belair then planted Doudrop with an impressive KOD for the pinfall victory. Becky Lynch stood on the announce table and posed with the RAW Women’s Championship as Belair celebrated the victory.
Edge Laid Down A Challenge For WrestleMania
Edge came down to the ring and took a seat on a steel chair in the middle of the ring. Edge said the smell of WrestleMania is in the air and spoke about being in the crowd at WrestleMania 3. He noted how he threw caution to the wind in his first WrestleMania match and the great moments he has had at the event. Edge looked at the crowd and told them they give the energy he needs to be “phenomenal”.
Edge said that you cannot call WrestleMania “stupendous” without him. He challenged someone to step up and prove themselves by standing across the ring from him at WrestleMania. Edge closed the promo by saying “you fight me at WrestleMania, I will make you live forever. So step up boys, I’ll be waiting”.
Rollins & Owens Earned A Their Way Into The RAW Tag Title Match In Two Weeks
RK-Bro battled Seth Rollins & Kevin Owens in tonight’s main event. If Owens & Rollins won the match, they would be added to the upcoming RAW Tag Team Championship match between American Alpha & RK-Bro.
Rollins and Riddle started off the match and RK-Bro took control. Riddle and Orton kept Rollins isolated in the corner. Orton tagged in and went for a Back Body Drop but Seth saw it coming. Rollins unloaded some strikes but Orton responded with a Back Body Drop that sent Seth flying out of the ring. Orton went to slam Rollins on the announce table but Owens broke it up. Rollins capitalized and hit a Suicide Dive that knocked Orton over the announce table as RAW went to a final commercial break.
When RAW returned, Owens tagged in and stomped on Orton before he could reach the corner for a tag. Riddle got the tag but Seth put a stop to his momentum with a Double Stomp for a near fall. Owens tagged in and hit Riddle with a Neckbreaker for a two count. Owens hit a Swanton and Rollins followed it up with a Frog Splash but somehow Riddle kicked out at two.
Randy Orton tagged in and delivered a Powerslam to Owens before hitting another one on Rollins Orton connected with the DDT in the ropes on Owens but Rollins escaped out of the ring. Randy went for the RKO but Owens blocked it. Owens Clotheslined Orton to the outside as Riddle tagged in. Rollins hit Orton with the Stomp as Riddle hit the Floating Bro on Owens.
Seth tagged in and connected with a Buckle Bomb. Owens hit Riddle with the Stunner and Seth followed it up with the Stomp for the pinfall victory. Alpha Academy will defend the RAW Tag Team Championships against Kevin Owens & Seth Rollins, RK-Bro in a Triple Threat Match on RAW in two weeks.
