On March 11, WWE presented the weekly Monday Night Raw episode from Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Becky Lynch tried to settle her score with Liv Morgan. A Gauntlet match decided Gunther’s WrestleMania opponent. The Kabuki Warriors defended their women’s tag team championships on the show and much more. Let’s take a look at everything that happened on this Raw episode.
Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre’s Battle of Words
Drew McIntyre kicked off Monday Night Raw. He talked about his WrestleMania opponent, Seth Rollins, and called him a delusional and hypocritical junkie.
The crowd gave “what” treatment to Drew. He told them to say “what” if they were happy with him taking out CM Punk.
McIntyre claimed a Thank You from CM Punk for keeping him relevant. He said that The Rock is the bigger picture.
McIntyre was still not happy with Rollins getting involved in the Bloodline business. The Scottish Warrior said he would be the Champion that fans would be proud of.
Seth Rollins interrupted and told McIntyre to shut his mouth. Rollins talked about Claymore Kick from last week. Seth asked McIntyre to hit him with another one right now.
Seth went to his knees and even turned his back for McIntyre to attack. Drew said he was unhappy when Bloodline interfered in his matches, but he focused on the wins.
Seth sarcastically said that McIntyre remembered him of someone from Chicago. Rollins called McIntyre a bigger hypocrite than CM Punk and an honorary member of The Bloodline.
Seth aimed to beat McIntyre at WrestleMania XL. The Champion said that the biggest moment of Drew’s career will be hearing a much larger crowd singing Seth’s theme song.
Seth said that he had bigger issues than Drew. He called McIntyre, which is the last thing he’s worried about. A furious Scottish Warrior headed to the back.
Grades: A
Analysis: This was a strong segment to kick off things on a Monday Night. It was a necessary segment. Seth got the better of McIntyre this time. The heated promo work will surely reflect in their match at WrestleMania.
Singles Match
Becky Lynch vs. Liv Morgan
They started with a waist lock and headlocks. Soon, Morgan avoided a baseball slide and delivered a suicide dive.
Becky delivered a Springboard kick and two Bexploders. Lynch landed a baseball slide and a diving forearm at ringside.
Back in the ring, Morgan caught Lynch in mid-air and delivered a Codebreaker. Back on their feet, Morgan landed another Codebreaker for a near fall.
Liv landed a beautiful sunset flip powerbomb on the floor. She rolled Becky back in the ring for a two-count.
Becky somehow delivered a Manhandle Slam, but Liv rolled out of the ring to escape the pinfall.
Later, Liv hit Becky with a DDT and Ob-Liv-ion. This time, The Man wisely rolled out of the ring. In the end, Becky won the manhandle slam.
Rhea Ripley interrupted after the match. Morgan told her from the ramp that she’d take everything from her.
Ripley said that Lynch keeps on accepting these weekly matches just to have an excuse for her WrestleMania loss. Becky tells her that she is great when the whole world doubts her.
Winner: Becky Lynch
Grades: A
Analysis: It was an awesome match. Both superstars gave their all in the ring. Becky deserved that win. There was a nice little post-match face-off between Becky and Ripley.
Major Announcement: In a video package, Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis announced a 6-pack ladder match for the Undisputed Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania.
The participants will be decided in the upcoming weeks. Finn Balor and Damian Priest were not happy.
Tag Team Match
Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell vs. Ivy Nile and MaxxineDupri
Ivy and Indi started. LeRae landed a cheap shot from the apron. Candice and Nile took out each other with a double clothesline.
Maxxine joined the action and landed a dropkick. LeRae got to Dupri’s face and trash-talked her. She even involved her late mother in this conversation.
Hartwell dropped Maxxine with a big boot. LeRae and Hartwell were victorious.
Winners: Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell
Grades: C
Analysis: It looks like LeRae and Hartwell are now heels. LeRae targeted Maxxine’s late mother. It will be a good thing for LeRai and her team.
Backstage: Priest and Balor went to Pearce and Aldis. They were not happy with their WrestleMania 6-pack match.
R-Truth walked in. He was thinking of it as another day, not Monday. Priest demanded a match against R-Truth.
Cody Rhodes’ Interview
Michael Cole interviewed Cody Rhodes. The crowd gave a huge ovation to The American Nightmare.
Cody talked about slapping The Rock. He said that if The Rock is the boss, he will slap his boss.
Cole talked about Rhodes and Rollins’ history and asked how Cody could trust Seth.
Rhodes said that people change. He said that he teamed with Jey Uso. He also talked about Cole’s evolution in the past few years.
Cody said that the story is not just for him and Roman Reigns. It is for the fans, his friends, and his mother.
Rhodes mentioned his #1 fan, his wife, Brandi Rhodes. He said that Cole could announce him as the World Champion at WrestleMania 40.
Grades: B
Analysis: It was a fine segment with Cody Rhodes. It was good to see him not miss the show and get important TV time.
Backstage: Becky and Morgan were backstage. Nia Jaxattacked them. Jax sent Morgan into a crate and slammed Lynch through a table.
Women’s Tag Team Championship Match
The Kabuki Warriors vs. Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark
Asuka and Stark started. Asuka delivered a dropkick, but Stark soon bounced back with a dropkick of her own.
Baszler applied an Ankle lock on Asuka, who survived and tagged Kairi. Shayna landed a German Suplex on Sane.
Zoey took out both Asuka and Sane with a Springboard plancha at ringside. Later, Kairidelivered a double stomp on Stark for a near fall.
Asuka hit Baszler with a Codebreaker, followed by a Blockbuster by Sane. They delivered stereo kicks for a near fall. Stark successfully delivered the Z-360 on Sane, followed by Shayna’s knee to the face.
Asuka barely broke the pinfall. In the end, after a little distraction by Dakota, Asuka and Sane won the game with a reverse DDT/In-Sane elbow combo.
Winners: The Kabuki Warriors
Grades: B-
Analysis: It was a decent match in the women’s tag division. Kabuki Warriors successfully retained their titles.
Singles Match
R-Truth vs. Damian Priest
Priest attacked Truth right away after his entrance. DIY came out to cheer Truth. Priest went for the Razor’s Edge on the commentary table, but Truth escaped and landed on a diving clothesline.
Truth paid homage to his childhood hero, John Cena, by delivering his trademark shoulder tackles.
Truth delivered the 5 Knuckle Shuffle and an Attitude Adjustment for a nearfall. The Truth turned it into an STF submission.
McDonagh and Balor attacked DIY at ringside. Truth landed a dive on them from the top rope. In the ring, Priest hit Truth with a South of Heaven chokeslam for the win.
Priest hit Ciampawith a South of Heaven, and Balor landed a Coup de Grace on Gargano.
Winner: Damian Priest
Grades: B
Analysis: It was a fun match. The John Cena tribute from Truth looked fabulous. They are hyping the 6-pack ladder match.
WrestleMania Challenge
Jey Uso came to the ring and challenged Jimmy Uso to a match at WrestleMania.
Gauntlet Match
Six superstars will compete for a shot at Gunther’sIntercontinental Championship at WrestleMania.
Ricochet vs. JD McDonagh: They started with arm drags and waist-locks. Ricochet soon did a monkey flip and landed a dropkick. McDonagh countered a cross-body into a gutbuster.
Later, McDonagh delivered a brain buster for a two-count. Ricochet hit a poisonrana and a Spanish Fly for a near fall.
Ricochet delivered a Death Valley Driver at ringside and followed it with a springboard moonsault.
Ricochet delivered a Northern Lights and a rolling suplex for another near fall. In the end, Ricochet advanced with a shooting star press.
Winner: Ricochet
Singles Match
Ricochet vs. Bronson Reed
Ricochet landed a suicide dive during Reed’s entrance. Ricochet then delivered a springboard missile dropkick and a FosburyFlop.
Reed slammed him down twice before hitting a sentonsplash. Bronson advanced with a Tsunami.
Winner: Bronson Reed
Singles Match
Bronson Reed vs. Sami Zayn
Zayn started with a chop to the chest. At ringside, Sami landed a moonsault block off the barricade.
Bronson delivered the twisting suplex for a near fall. Zayn advanced with a sunset flip powerbomb.
Winner: Sami Zayn
Singles Match
Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
During Nakamura’s entrance, Reed attacked Sami from behind and hit a Tsunami. Shinsuke continued with his stiff kicks.
Zayn fought back with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Zayn was victorious with a Helluva Kick.
Winner: Sami Zayn.
Singles Match
Sami Zayn vs. Chad Gable
Gable helped Sami get up and pointed at the WrestleMania sign. Chad started with a pair of German Suplexes.
Sami fought out of an Ankle Lock. Later, Gable landed a huge superplex off the top rope, but Zayn somehow kicked out.
Chad applied the Ankle Lock again. Sami survived and delivered an exploder suplex in the corner.
Gable again applied the Ankle Lock in an intense moment. Zayn barely survived. Sami delivered the Helluva Kick with a bad ankle for a near fall.
After a bit of anticipation, Gable hit Chaos Theory for a two-count. Gable went for the Ankle Lock, but Sami rolled him up for the pin and the win. Gable was in disbelief. Gunther walked up to the stage and smiled at his WrestleMania opponent, Sami Zayn.
Winner: Sami Zayn
Grades: B+
Analysis: Sami Zayn will challenge Gunther at WrestleManiaXL for the IC Title. There was great action in this gauntlet match. It was a heartbreaking moment for Chad Gable, but Zayndeserved it, rightly so.
Overall, it was a strong show in this exciting Road to WrestleMania. Gunther has his WrestleMania opponent. Becky looks good, but Nia Jax is still a roadblock for her.
