On March 18, WWE aired the weekly Monday Night Raw show from PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. The show featured a Last Woman Standing match between Becky Lynch and NiaJax. We witnessed the contract signing for the Intercontinental Title match. Multiple tag team matches determined participants for the six-pack challenge at WrestleMania. Let’s review everything that happened on WWE Raw.
Jey Uso Kicked Off Raw
Monday Night Raw kicked off with Jey Uso. Michael Cole mentioned previous matches between two brothers from WrestleMania. Jey welcomed everyone to the show.
He said that The Bloodline is here, and he straight up called out Jimmy Uso. Solo and Jimmy walked through the crowd.
Jimmy entered the ring and saw a face-off between the two Usos. Jey said he misses Jey and told Jimmy to come back to him.
Jimmy said he never left Jey, but Jey left him and The Bloodline. Jimmy said he helped him in all that. He mentioned Jey’s success on Raw. Jey said that the biggest moment of his life will be at WrestleMania XL.
Jimmy and Solo attacked Jey, but Cody made the save. Rhodes delivered a Cody Cutter to Sikoa. Jimmy and Solo had to retrieve it, and Cody checked on Jey.
Grades: B+
Analysis: It was a fun segment on a Monday Night. It felt good that they gave Jey and Jimmy the right place on TV. Cody’s involvement made it clear that he was in a war against The Bloodline.
Backstage: Paul Heyman was with Adam Pearce. He told him he was here for a business deal and everyone would be caught off guard after that.
Tag Team Match
DIY vs. The Creed Brothers
Next up was a tag team match to be a participant in the six-pack challenge at WrestleMania. The match began at a quick pace.
Soon, Gargano and Ciampa laid out Creed Brothers with dives to the outside. Back in the ring, Brutus hit a Northern Lights suplex, followed by vertical suplexes from Julius and Brutus.
They followed it up with standing moonsaults for a two-count. Ciampa fought back against Julius with a reverse DDT.
Gargano got the tag and delivered his signature slingshot spear to Julius for a near fall. Ciampa delivered a White Noise to Julius for another near fall.
Julius bounced back with a spear and applied the ankle lock. He followed it up with a powerbomb. In the ring, amidst much action, Ciampa rolled Brutus for the pin and the win.
Winners: DIY
Grades: B+
Analysis: DIY will be a part of the six-pack ladder match at WrestleMania, and they deserve it. The Creed Brothers were once appropriately booked on TV, but now things have drastically changed for them.
Backstage: Dominik and Rhea Ripley were shown with Andrade. A little altercation happened with Balor and Priest, too. Dom wanted a match with Ricochet.
Tag Team Match
Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae vs. Katana Chance and Kayden Carter
Chance’s ankle looked bad from the beginning. Carter and the referee checked on her. However, Candice laid out Carter with a baseball slide and attacked the injured ankle of Chance. She applied a half Boston Crab for the victory.
Winners: Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell
Grades: C-
Analysis: They are trying something with the heel side of Candice LeRae, which doesn’t look good so far, but we will wait and see.
Cody Rhodes and Paul Heyman make a Deal
Cody Rhodes came out and talked about his match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. He said he would go face-to-face with Roman this week on SmackDown, but there are other complications, like The Rock.
He mentioned The Rock’s Instagram posts and his concert on SmackDown. Cody called The Rock an asshole. Later, Cody called him a whiny bitch. Cody said that The Rock brought his mother in, but she is not scared of The Rock.
Rhodes said that he knows The Rock’s mom, too, but he only has respect for her. He mentioned how Seth Rollins carried The Rock’s company on his shoulders.
Cody said that Rock will be in the ring after years. Will he be The Great One or just the Little Dick Syndrome? He said that Rock would not be the final boss at WrestleMania. He will just be Roman’s side chick.
Paul Heyman came out saying, “Ladies and Gentleman”. Heyman apologized to Cody for bringing the security team with him last time.
Cody said he never demanded an apology. Heyman delivered a message from Roman Reigns that Reigns will be alone this week on SmackDown when he goes face-to-face with Cody.
There will be no Bloodline member except Heyman himself. He asked Cody to appear alone, too. Rhodes accepted the deal.
Grades: A
Analysis: It was a solid promo from Cody. He made great points against The Rock, using some “not PG” language. The deal between Heyman and Rhodes is interesting.
Singles Match
Dominik Mysterio vs. Ricochet
Ricochet started strongly and delivered a springboard elbow. He followed it up with a corkscrew splash to the outside.
Dominik fought back with an assist from McDonagh. Dom delivered a face buster for a two-count. He went for the Amigos, but Ricochet landed a suplex.
In the end, Ricochet escaped the 619 and delivered the Recoil to score a victory. McDonagh tried to attack after the match, but Ricochet left the ring.
Winner: Ricochet
Grades: B-
Analysis: It felt like a filler, and no story was told.
Backstage: We saw a little exchange between Zayn and Gable. Sami told him that he has a family at home, too, and his children cry at his loss. Gable said last week meant more to him and told Sami he couldn’t beat Gunther.
IC Title Contract Signing
Sami Zayn and Gunther arrived. Gunther told him it was the most prestigious contract signing and that Sami was dressed like a bum in the audience.
Sami brought back memories from his last WrestleMania when he ended The Usos’ longest reign, and now he will do the same to Gunther.
The Ring General said people cheer for Zayn but don’t believe him. He said that even Sami doesn’t believe he can beat Gunther.
Gunther said Sami was at his doorstep, begging for a beating at WrestleMania. He signed the contract and tried to walk away, but Zayn stopped him and went face-to-face with him.
He claimed to take down Gunther at WrestleMania.
Grades: B+
Analysis: A contract signing with no brawl is rare in WWE. They are somehow keeping Chad Gable relevant with the Intercontinental Title.
Tag Team Match
Awesome Truth vs. Indus Sher
Indus Sher dominated The Miz for some time. Truth got the tag, and he began with John Cena’s shoulder tackle and a five-knuckle shuffle. He followed it up with STF on Veer, but Sangabroke the submission.
Miz delivered a Skull-Crushing Finale on Veer. In a dramatic way, Sanga hit an elbow on Truth, who landed on Veer.
The referee counted three, and Awesome Truth got the win.
Winners: Awesome Truth
Grades: C
Analysis: It was a short, fun match. Awesome Truth is headed to WrestleMania for the six-pack tag team ladder match.
Backstage: Sami asks Gable why he thinks Sami can’t beat Gunther. Gable said that Gunther is a beast not just physically but mentally, too. Sami needs to change his mentality.
Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins War of Words
Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins entered the ring. Seth called himself a spotlight junkie, as Drew said about him.
McIntyre said he only cares about his match at WrestleMania and the World Title. The fans were chanting CM Punk.
McIntyre took a shot that Punk will be on Raw soon, but he won’t be in Raleigh. The crowd booed.
Seth said that he gets better every time he walks through the curtain. The fans singing his theme is a dix for him.
Rollins said that on Night 1 of WrestleMania, he will beat the biggest Hollywood star and his side bitch. Then, the spotlight will be on his World Heavyweight Title match on Night 2.
Drew said that Seth was right until he mentioned The Rock. McIntyre said he wants Seth in their match because he has earned his moment.
Seth said that Drew is a spotlight junkie too. He mentioned Drew’s previous World Title reign in 2020 during the pandemic.
Rollins said that Drew fumbled the ball after that. He said that this is the difference between him and McIntyre.
Seth claimed that he shines when the lights are bright and will shine at WrestleMania. It was a mic-drop moment, and Rollins left the ring.
Grades: B+
Analysis: Another strong segment between Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre. Both men made valid points.
Tag Team Match
The New Day vs. Otis and Akira Tozawa
After back-and-forth tag exchanges, Tozawa delivered a hurricanrana on Kofi, followed by a suicide dive to take out both New Day members.
Otis laid out Woods with a clothesline and caught Kofi mid-air for a slam. Otis delivered the Caterpillar for a two-count.
Woods landed a tornado DDT on Tozawa for a near fall. Tozawa delivered a hurricanrana and a senton from the top rope onto Woods.
Akira covered it, but Kingston saved it. Kofi sidelined Otis with a DDT at ringside.
In the ring, Woods countered a hurricanrana into a sit down powerbomb. Woods followed it up with an elbow drop from the top rope for the win.
Winners: New Day
Grades: B+
Analysis: New Day is headed to WrestleMania. Otis and Tozawa make up a fun combination.
Last Woman Standing Match
Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax
The main event was the Last Woman Standing match. Lynch started with two dropkicks and a baseball slide.
Nia got in control and slammed Becky into the ring post and the barricade. Jax threw steel chairs into the ring. Becky used a chair to attack Jax.
Lynch went for the Manhandle Slam, but Jaxcountered it with a Samoan Drop on steel chairs. The referee began to count, but Becky got to her feet at seven.
The Man delivered a running bulldog on chairs, and Nia was down for an 8-count. Jax caught Becky mid-air with a chair shot.
She followed it up with an assault from kendo sticks and delivered a leg drop. Nia continued the beatdown at ringside on steel steps. Becky escaped a leg drop on the apron and delivered a DDT on steel steps.
Becky used the fire extinguisher on Nia. However, Jax soon caught Lynch into a Samoan Drop through the table.
Nia hit Becky with the Annihilator. The referee counted 9, but Becky wisely rolled out the ring to reach her feet.
They exchanged punches on the apron. Becky delivered a Manhandle Slam from the apron through the table at ringside.
Jax somehow got back to her feet. Lynch saw her stumbling on the commentary table and delivered a leg drop from the ladder through the table.
Becky got back up at nine, but Nia was down for 10-count. Rhea Ripley came after the match and went face-to-face with Becky as Raw went off-air.
Winner: Becky Lynch
Grades: A-
Analysis: There was a great Last Woman Standing match in the main event. Nia had some good matches with Becky. It looks like the focus will be on Becky and Ripley from now on.
This was another excellent episode of Raw on the Road to WrestleMania. Sami Zayn vs. Gunther is official, with Chad Gable still in the mix. There were good segments between Cody and Paul Heyman as well as Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre.
