WrestleMania is only a few weeks away, and Raw has seemed to already fill its portion of the card. Earlier on Twitter, WWE announced that Roman Reigns will face the Undertaker after what transpired last week. Tonight, we have a #1 Contender’s match for the Raw Tag Team Championships, and over 2.5 hours to help convince us to get excited for WrestleMania.
Opening Segment
We start off Raw this week with the man that normally closes shows, Brock Lesnar. Last week, Lesnar made an unexpected appearance and hit Goldberg, the new Universal Champion, with an F5. Last week’s actions gave Lesnar and Paul Heyman a newfound confidence, and they use this to explain how The Beast Incarnate will win the Universal Championship at WrestleMania.
Sasha Banks (w/Bayley) vs. Dana Brooke (w/Charlotte)
The Boss defeated Bayley last week to earn a Raw Women’s Championship opportunity at WrestleMania against the champ and Charlotte. In the women’s wrestling era of old, the match lasts two minutes and Banks picks up the victory with a roll-up. Winner: Sasha Banks
After the match, Charlotte grabs a microphone and calls Brooke a disgrace, and finally gets rid of her. Brook interrupts the Queen but attacking her. Flair is shocked and startled, and she manages to escape. While the fight is over, their battle is just starting (and that definitely seems like a face turn for Dana Brooke).
TJ Perkins & Akira Tozawa vs. Brian Kendrick & Tony Nese
Tomorrow night on 205 Live, all four of these men will complete in a Fatal Five-Way Elimination Match along with Austin Aries to determine Neville’s WrestleMania opponent for the Cruiserweight Championship. We get a little preview of that in tag team action.
Kendrick and Tozawa are laid out outside the ring, and Tony Nese rolls Perkins up while using the tights for leverage, stealing the victory. Winners: Brian Kendrick & Tony Nese
Kevin Owens & Samoa Joe vs. Sami Zayn & Chris Jericho
It is pretty clear that Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho hate each other, and they will face each other for the United States Championship at WrestleMania. Samoa Joe has faced both Sami Zayn and Chris Jericho in singles action last week, and he defeated them both.
Kevin Owens superkicks Chris Jericho off of the apron, and he assaults Sami Zayn in the ring alongside Samoa Joe. Owens wouldn’t go to the apron as ordered by the referee, so he had to call for the disqualification. They clearly don’t care, and finish the job on Zayn and Jericho after the match. Winners (via disqualification): Sami Zayn & Chris Jericho
Enzo Amore & Big Cass vs. Sheamus & Cesaro – #1 Contender’s Match (Raw Tag Team Championships)
Sheamus and Cesaro had their Raw Tag Team Championship rematch against Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson a few weeks ago, when Big Cass interfered and cost them a chance at the titles. Last week, Enzo and Cass had their shot at the gold, when Cesaro interfered because Enzo spilled his coffee. Whoever wins this match will face Gallows and Anderson in a title match at WrestleMania.
Big Cass and Sheamus spill to the outside, when Gallows and Anderson interfere to attack both of them. They don’t want to face either team again, since they already have championship victories over both teams. The tag champs proceed to knock out every man involved in that match, and they are the only team to stand tall. Result: No Contest
The attack on both teams leads to Mick Foley making the Raw Tag Team Championship match at WrestleMania a triple threat match.
Roman Reigns vs. Jinder Mahal
Both Roman Reigns and Jinder Mahal are in action for the first time since Fastlane. Reigns defeated Braun Strowman, while Mahal lost in an unadvertised match against Cesaro. With the Deadman in his sights, Reigns needs to start building momentum towards the Grandest Stage of Them All.
Reigns didn’t even need to use a spear, since he only needed a Superman Punch to take out Mahal. Winner: Roman Reigns
The Big Dog calls out the Undertaker, but instead he gets Shawn Michaels. HBK isn’t here to promote a movie this time, but instead he tries to give Reigns some advice as someone who has face The Undertaker twice at WrestleMania. Reigns thanks Michaels for the advice, and says that he will retire The Deadman.
Reigns starts walking to the back, and he gets blindsided by Braun Strowman, who sends him crashing down the ramp in a nasty tumble.
Austin Aries vs. Ariya Daivari
After being a commentator for months, Austin Aries went back to being an in-ring performer last week on 205 Live. Aries defeated Tony Nese after picking a fight with Neville the night before on Raw, and now he has his Raw in-ring debut against an experienced member of the Cruiserweight Division in Ariya Daivari.
Aries hits Daivari with a back suplex onto his neck, then he follows it up with a rolling forearm for the win. Winner: Austin Aries
Big Show vs. Titus O’Neil
Earlier in the night, Titus O’Neil got angry at the Big Show because he wasn’t the star of the WWE/Jetsons crossover movie. Show is on his way to the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, and not a match against Shaq, so he’s continuing to build up momentum.
O’Neil gets some offense in, but Big Show hits three chokeslams, getting the quick and dominant victory. Winner: Big Show
Bayley vs. Nia Jax
Nia Jax has defeated Bayley on multiple occasions, and she wants to be included in the Raw Women’s Championship match. If she defeats the champion tonight, she might get what she wants.
Jax attacks Bayley for longer than a five count in the corner, forcing the disqualification. She then furthers the assault by throwing Bayley into the barricade before heading to the back. Winner (via disqualification): Bayley
Announcements
Next week, Chris Jericho will host the Highlight Reel with the “real” Kevin Owens. Also, Braun Strowman is getting his rematch against Roman Reigns.
In-ring Segment
Stephanie McMahon gave Mick Foley the job to fire somebody tonight, and the Hardcore Legend is here with his choice: Stephanie McMahon. Triple H comes down to the ring and yells at Foley, treating him more like garbage than a General Manager. Foley then locks in the Mandible Claw, and Stephanie McMahon eliminates Foley with a low blow.
Triple H goes to continue the attack on Foley, when Seth Rollins makes the save. Rollins was out of action from a knee injury, but he is now 100% and looks to take out the man who screwed him out of the Universal Championship. The Game gets ahold of Rollins’ crutch, and uses that to his advantage to take out the bad knee and leave Rollins laid out in the middle of the ring.
