Welcome to live coverage of Monday Night Raw, coming to you live from the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. Continue to refresh the page for all the latest updates from the show, and follow along in the comments.
WWE Intro. Then…Now…Forever. (Classic.)
Michael Cole, Corey Graves, and Renee Young welcome us to Monday Night Raw.
Stephanie McMahon comes to the ring. She’s about to introduce Becky Lynch, when the Man’s music hits. Becky comes out to a great fan reaction, but is still favoring her injured leg from Royal Rumble. Stephanie then gives Becky her proper introduction. They play a recap of what happened last week on Raw, when Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch traded promos. Stephanie says she’s never seen a superstar stand toe-to-toe with Ronda the way Becky has.
Stephanie then asks Becky about her leg injury. Becky insists that she is fine. Stephanie plays a recap of the end of the Royal Rumble, when Nia Jax attacked Becky after being eliminated, and Charlotte Flair targeted that leg. Stephanie wonders why Becky doesn’t seek medical attention. Becky responds by saying she’ll fight anyone at anytime, but “no doctors are coming near me.” Stephanie fires back, informing Becky that she can not compete until she is physically cleared by the WWE medical staff.
Becky angrily tells Stephanie that she sees what’s going on. She’s the glitch in the WWE’s plan. They don’t want her there. Becky shoots Stephanie down, saying she’s struggled her whole life to get to this moment, and Stephanie hasn’t had to struggle for anything in her whole life. Stephanie calls Becky a liability if she competes without being cleared, and wonders if Becky’s knee injury is worse then she’s letting on. Stephanie literally pleads with Becky to see the doctor. Becky says she won’t allow Stephanie to take her moment away from her. Stephanie threatens to suspend her if she doesn’t see a doctor. Becky promises that she can’t control her actions if Stephanie says that again. Stephanie then suspends Becky on the spot.
Becky attacks Stephanie. Disarmer!! Becky has to pull back because her leg is bothering her too much. Security comes out to pull Becky away, but she fights them off and goes after Stephanie again! Eventually they get her away, and Stephanie flees to the back. Becky walks out of the ring under her own power, but her leg is clearly bothering her.
Up next…Ronda Rousey versus Liv Morgan, as we go to our first commercial break.
Backstage Becky Lynch is being escorted out when she bumps into Ronda Rousey. Ronda says that she wants Becky to rest up so that she can decimate her at WrestleMania. Ronda berates Becky for threatening to ruin the biggest matchup for the WWE, and tells her to stop invading her show. She then looks at Becky’s injured leg and exclaims, “Ice and Advil bitch.”
Liv Morgan is already in the ring. Ronda’s music hits and she strolls down to the ring for our opening matchup.
Ronda Rousey versus Liv Morgan (non-title match)
Ronda shoves Liv to the ground. Liv rolls out of the ring and avoids Ronda by running around at ringside. She attempts another exchange with Ronda, but gets caught in the armbar. Liv taps immediately.
Ronda Rousey wins by submission.
Ronda grabs a microphone and screams at the audience for booing her. She wants some more. She calls out Sarah Logan, asking if she wants some. Logan comes into the ring…and the match is made official.
Ronda Rousey versus Sarah Logan (non-title match)
Logan picks Ronda up and charges her into the turnbuckles. Ronda transitions and locks in the armbar! Logan is somehow able to roll to the ropes to break the hold. Riott Squad pulls her out of the ring to regroup.
Commercial.
Back from break and Ronda is attempting a triangle choke, but Logan picks the champ up and slams her into the corner. Logan lands some strikes, but Ronda gets to her feet and judo-throws Logan to the mat. Another throw. Mounted punches by Ronda! Armbar is locked in…Logan can’t escape. That’s it!
Ronda Rousey wins by submission
Following the bout, Ruby Riott jumps up on the apron to stare Ronda down. She seems as if she will challenge next, but Ruby instead flees with the rest of the Riott Squad. (Perhaps at the next PPV?)
As soon as they get into gorilla the Riott Squad get interviewed. Ruby is asked why she ran away from Ronda. Ruby says she will happily challenge Ronda, but it will be for the Raw women’s championship. However, tonight the Riott Squad needs her, and she will stick by them.
Kurt Angle’s address to the WWE Universe is teased for later in the show, as well as Bobby Lashley taking on Finn Balor.
Heavy Machinery comes down to the ring. Michael Cole says that they will compete in a fatal-four way tag match to determine the new #1 contenders for the Raw tag-team championship. Lucha House Party is out second.
Commercial.
Back from break and Sasha Banks and Bayley are being interviewed. They’re asked if they will bounce back after failing to defeated Ronda Rousey, and how they can translate that in their qualifying tag match. Sasha is irate, but Bayley says that they plan on becoming the first female tag team champions.
Nikki Cross and Alicia Fox stroll up. They say they will be the ones going on to compete at Elimination Chamber. Nikki creepily exclaims that Alicia Fox embraced her chaos, and for that, they will win, because chaos, unlike anything else…is fair. (Sweet Dark Knight quote Nikki.)
The rest of the tag teams are announced for the fatal-four way.
B-Team versus Lucha House Party versus Heavy Machinery versus the Revival
Curt Hawkins starts with Gran Metalik. Metalik rolls up Hawkins, but Hawkins escapes with ease. Metalik shows off his athleticism, and walks the ropes to take Hawkins down with a missile dropkick. Lince Dorado tags in and takes down Hawkins with a springboard attack.
Dash Wilder comes in but gets caught in a roll-up by Dorado. Wilder breaks the pin but eats a headlock. Tucker Knight tags in for Dorado and uses his power to ground Wilder to the ground. Otis Dozovic comes in for Tucker, and slams Wilder with a twisting powerslam. He tosses Wilder into his teams corner, and they take Wilder down with some tandem tag-team offense.
B-Team charges in the ring but Heavy Machinery pick them up and slam them over the top ropes. Lucha House Party climbs to the apron and takes down everybody at ringside with springboard asai moonsaults. Heavy Machinery then targets Scott Dawson, tossing him to the arena floor.
Commercial.
As we return from break, Scott Dawson is dropping a series of elbow drops onto Gran Metalik. He tags in Wilder, who thrusts a knee into Metalik’s face. Metalik lands a huge chop onto Wilder, but Wilder fires back with a big right hand. Dawson back in…double-team gutbuster from the Revival. Pinfall attempt…but Metalik escapes. Rear-chinlock from Dawson. Metalik gets to his feet and is able to get Dorado into the match.
Flying crossbody from Dorado onto Dawson. He nails Wilder on the apron and then takes Dawson down. DORADO DROPKICKS WILDER AND THEN MOONSAULTS ONTO DAWSON IN ONE FLUID MOTION. Dozovic blindly tags Dorado without him knowing.
B-Team hit a backdrop neckbreaker onto Dorado, but Dozovic runs through Bo Dallas and Curt Hawkins with shoulder blocks. THE CATERPILLAR FROM DOZOVIC! Pinfall is broken up! Dawson tags in taking Dozovic’s spot. Revival with some trickery on Bo Dallas…SHATTER MACHINE. THAT’LL DO IT.
The Revival wins by pinfall earning a shot at the Raw Tag Team Titles
Backstage Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder are watching from the locker room. Hawkins says if it weren’t for his toxic losing streak, they would have been in that match. He asks why Ryder even wants to reunite his team. Ryder says that last week on Raw, they spelled his name wrong on the Raw graphic. (They actually did.) Ryder promises Hawkins that they will end their losing streak…together.
Kurt Angle is on his way to the ring. He bumps into Apollo Crews, who says no matter what he says…he’s got his back.
Commercial.
Kurt Angle’s music hits. He makes his way to the ring. Commentary reminds us that he’s fallen on some hard times since he lost his job as general manager.
Angle thanks the fans, and uses his three-eye’s catchphrase: Intensity, Integrity, and Intelligence. He says that he’s accomplished everything he’s ever wanted to in WWE. He’s a former multi-time champion, he faced Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania, he showered the ring in milk, he met the son he never knew he had (yeesh). Angle now says he’s shifted to the three D’s. Doubt, Defeat, and Depression, especially after losing to Drew McIntyre and Baron Corbin. He’s not the same man he used to be because of his age.
Baron Corbin comes out to a chorus of boos. Corbin wants Angle to wrap up his career, and tells Angle that he should have made this speech at his HoF induction two years ago. Corbin calls Angle a broken-down old man. Angle says he’ll break Corbin’s ankle in two, and calls him down to the ring.
Drew McIntyre’s music hits. The Scottish Terminator wonders why Kurt just doesn’t go away. He says that people use to look into Angle’s eyes and see a warrior, now they only see fear. McIntyre reminds Angle that he tapped Angle out with his very own ankle-lock. McIntyre ends the segment by telling everyone to get their cameras ready, because this is the last time anyone will see Kurt Angle in a WWE ring again. They swarm the ring…
Braun Strowman comes out! McIntyre charges Strowman and they brawl on the ramp. Corbin and Angle trade blows in the ring, but Angle wins the exchange, clotheslining Corbin over the top rope. Strowman tosses a chair at Corbin and runs the heels off to stand tall with Kurt Angle. Cole wonders if Angle was going to retire, but the interruption has given him second thoughts.
Commentary hypes up the following matches in the next two hours: Sasha Banks & Bayley versus Nikki Cross & Alicia Fox, Jeff Jarrett versus Elias, and Finn Balor versus Bobby Lashley. Coming up next…a highlight reel of Seth Rollin’s amazing week.
WWE then plays a video package celebrating Black History Month. It plays through to commercial.
Back from break, and the commentary team catch us up on the first hour of Raw, which includes Becky Lynch being suspended, and Braun Strowman coming to help Kurt Angle fend off Baron Corbin and Drew McIntyre.
Graves announces that because of that…we’ll have a tag-team main event (PLAYA PLAYA.) Angle & Strowman versus McIntyre & Corbin.
A video package of Seth Rollin’s Rumble victory is played, which recaps last week’s “decision” for Seth to make regarding which champion he would choose. If you missed it…Rollins would trade blows with Universal champion Brock Lesnar, but the Beast would get the best of Rollins, F-5ing him a monstrous six-times. Like always, the video package is edited to perfection.
Cole confirms that Rollins versus Lesnar is set for WrestleMania.
Sasha Banks’s music hits. Nikki Cross and Alicia Fox jump the Boss’N’Hug’Connection from behind! They beat them down on the entrance path. Bayley fights back, spearing Fox and taking her down with mounted punches, but the numbers game by Fox and Nikki pays off as they take advantage of the 2-on-1. Nikki smashes Bayley off the LED screen! Refs come out to stop the attack, but they’re not helping much. They eventually separate them long enough to tell Nikki and Fox to get in the ring. Cole ponders if the match will even happen as we go to break.
Upon return…the match has indeed been sanctioned.
Sasha Banks & Bayley versus Alicia Fox & Nikki Cross
Match is already underway. Bayley lands a running lariat onto Nikki Cross. She picks Nikki up and then hits a basement lariat. Sasha Banks is still recovering from the attack, but she’s made it to the apron. Nikki locks on a rear naked choke. Fox tags in…Bayley takes on both Nikki and Fox, taking them down with a flying crossbody.
Fox charges Bayley in the corner, but the Hugger gets a boot up, climbs the middle-rope, and decapitates Fox with a flying reverse elbow. Bayley showing some great heart by taking on Nikki and Fox with Sasha still regrouping. Bayley tosses Nikki to the outside, but gets caught with a scissor kick by Alicia Fox that lands flush. Cover…but Bayley gets a shoulder up.
Nikki Cross tags back in. She and Fox tie Bayley up in the tree-of-woe. They stomp Bayley down, making quick-tags to keep the attack centered on her midsection. Nikki with shoulder thrusts and a bulldog in succession. Another pinfall attempt, but Bayley kicks out again. Bayley rolls to ringside, but Nikki comes flying off the apron smashing Bayley to the ground. She charges Bayley who is on the ringpost, but Sasha pulls Bayley out of the way and Nikki goes right into the post!
Fox tags in and goes after Bayley, but Bayley rolls her up! THAT’S IT!
Bayley & Sasha Banks win by pinfall to advance to the Elimination Chamber title match
Sasha and Bayley share a hug in the center of the ring. Nikki and Fox are distraught after the loss.
Flashback to last week, when Road Dogg and Jeff Jarrett interrupted another concert by Elias. Elias would get the better of the Hall of Famers though, smashing them each with a guitar. Renee Young tells us that Jarrett versus Elias is coming up next!
Commercial.
Apollo Crews is being interviewed. He’s asked about Kurt Angle. Crews says that he doesn’t believe that Angle was originally intending to compete, but he’s happy that he gets to see Angle wrestle another night. Drake Maverick and Rezar stroll up. Maverick says that Angle doesn’t stand a chance. Apollo stares at Rezar and asks him how he gets his tiny puppet to talk…does he pull his strings…or put his hand up his ass. Rezar angrily steps up to Apollo, but Maverick pulls him back.
Road Dogg is on his way to the ring. He does his normal schtick, including calling himself one-half of the tag-team champions of the WORRRRRLLLLLLLLLLLLLDDDDDDDDDDDD. He then introduces Jeff Jarrett.
Jarrett’s music hits. He comes out with his trusty guitar in hand. Road Dogg holds the ropes open for him so he can enter the ring. Jarrett gets on the microphone and spells his name for the audience. He calls himself the world’s greatest singer, world’s greatest entertainer, and world’s greatest wrestler. Road Dogg then gets Jarrett to do an encore of their famous song, “One Track Mind,” since they weren’t able to finish it last week.
“Hello I am Elias.” Elias shows up and says that like that song…neither of them have aged well. Elias says he’d rather watch Adam Levine perform another halftime show than ever hear them sing again. Elias says he was actually asked to do the Superbowl halftime show, and then takes a shot at Portland for not having a football team. Elias states that no matter how many times Double-J and Road Dogg show-up…they’ll never get over the universal truth…that WWE stands for….”WALK WITH ELIAS.” Jarrett then quotes one of his greatest rivals, and tells Elias to bring it.
Jeff Jarrett versus Elias
Jarrett with a strong right hand which sends Elias to ringside. This one continues after the commercial break.
Back from break…Jarrett lands a lariat. Elias responds with his signature jumping knee that floor Jarrett. He mocks Jarrett’s walk, and throws a suck-it in the direction of Road Dogg. Elias with a deep headlock. Jarrett gets to his feet, but Elias takes him right back down with a vertical suplex.
Road Dogg distracts Elias for a moment…giving Jarrett the chance to land a few strikes to Elias’ gut. Elias is barely phased, and wears Jarrett down. Big jumping elbow drop from Jarrett. Cover but Jarrett escapes. Another headlock, but Jarrett breaks the hold with a jawbreaker. Elias bumps into Road Dogg on the apron, taking him down.
Jarrett mounts a comeback. He lands three big right hands. Enziguri by Jarrett. Elias nails Road Dogg with another shot. Jarrett goes for a back body drop…DRIFT AWAY BY ELIAS. That’s it sally.
Elias wins by pinfall.
As soon as the bell rings Road Dogg nails Elias with some Shake-Rattle & Roll. He tells Elias to suck it. Jarrett nails Elias in the back with a guitar. (IT DOES NOT BREAK.) He and Road Dogg celebrate to end the segment.
Backstage Natalya is preparing to put her ring gear on. Dana Brooke appears behind her and apologizes for causing them to lose in the Elimination Chamber qualifier. Brooke keeps berating Natalya for not answering her. She tells Natalya that she’s going to find a McMahon, and set a match between the two of them for next week to prove that she’s better than her. As Dana leaves…Natalya reveals that she’s had ear-buds in, and hasn’t heard a word that Dana said.
Finn Balor makes his way towards the ring for his matchup, as we go to break.
Commentary tells us that in three weeks…from Atlanta…WWE will celebrate Ric Flair’s birthday, with the Nature Boy himself making an appearance.
Another recap of what happened at the top of the hour, with Becky Lynch attacking Stephanie McMahon after Stephanie suspended her for refusing to see a doctor.
Commentary, specifically Corey Graves, says that someone may have to step up if Becky can’t compete at WrestleMania.
Charlie Caruso is backstage with Finn Balor. She asks Finn why he chooses to compete after being battered down the last two weeks by Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley. Balor says that the Irish are stubborn, and that he took the biggest shots that those beasts threw, and he’s still standing. He promises to bring the fight to Lashley tonight, and at some point, take his Intercontinental title away from him as well.
Balor’s music hits, and he makes his way to the ring. Video recap of Balor’s war with Lesnar from the Rumble, and the attack he suffered at the hands of Lashley last week.
The Intercontinental champ makes his way to the ring. Lio Rush accompanies him as usual.
Rush gets on the microphone and calls Balor a mummy. “You think you have a chance against the Almighty?” says Rush. He tells Balor that Lashley can curl dumbells heavier than him. Lashley then grabs the mic and says that he is better than Brock Lesnar. He can beat Lesnar in the ring, in the octagon, and in his sleep. Lashley then informs Balor that he will not be competing against Balor, but Lio Rush will be, and if Balor entertains him enough…he’ll give him a title match.
Lashley then attacks Balor! He lays into Balor’s taped up ribs and gives Lio Rush a huge advantage before the bell rings. The referee asks if Balor can continue…he says he can.
Lio Rush versus Finn Balor
Rush goes right after the injured ribs. He lands a combo of strikes and has the early advantage thanks to Lashley’s attack. Finn fires back by tripping Rush up. He uses the ropes to land some elevated stomps on Rush that send the man of the hour to ringside. Baseball slide by Finn! He sets up for a punt kick, but Lashley pulls Finn out.
Referee doesn’t DQ Rush…instead he bans Lashley from ringside! As he leaves…Rush surprises Finn with a suicide dive! (Under the bottom rope too.) That sends us to commercial.
Back from break and Rush and Finn are on the top turnbuckle. Frankensteiner from the top by Rush! He locks up Finn in a modified abdominal stretch (thanks Corey). Finn reverses the pressure and locks him in his own octopus stretch. Finn gaining momentum takes Rush down with forearms. Standing double-stump and sling-blade in succession. Finn goes for a bloody sunday, but his ribs give out. Rush takes advantage and lands a vicious combo. Springboard stunner by Rush! He climbs…frog splash misses…Finn nails him with a corner dropkick! Now Finn climbs…COUP DE GRACE! That’s it.
Finn Balor wins by pinfall
Bobby Lashley runs out but Finn fleas the ring before he can make it. Finn smiles at both Lashley and Rush as he celebrates on the entrance path.
Graves reminds us of our main event tag-matchup.
Paige is here! Crowd is going nuts! She says that there’s a very special movie coming out in the next couple of weeks called Fighting With My Family. If you didn’t know…it’s about her family. She sends us to a trailer for the flick.
Another commercial break.
Back from break and Alexa Bliss comes out for A Moment of Bliss. She welcomes her guest…EC3! The top one-percenter poses before taking a seat with Alexa.
Alexa asks EC3 if he’s ready for his moment of Bliss, and aks EC3 which brand he’ll be choosing. Raw or SmackDown. Before he can answer…
Nia Jax and Tamina come out. Nia tells Alexa that nobody cares about EC3, and that they should be talking about her amazing week. She entered the men’s Royal Rumble and qualifying with Tamina for the first ever women’s tag team championship matchup. Jax even offers to take Becky Lynch’s spot at WrestleMania.
Dean Ambrose comes out! He apologizes to Alexa for interrupting her show, and tells Nia that it’s obvious that she has a crush on him. Ambrose then takes over Alexa’s interview. He fires off some very funny questions to EC3: “Who does your hair? What does EC3 mean? What happened to EC 1 & 2?” But Ambrose mainly wonders why EC3’s been hanging around backstage and not stepping into the ring. EC3…fed up with not being able to say ANYTHING during this segment…decks Ambrose.
We go to break.
Impromptu matchup between EC3 and Dean Ambrose! (What a treat!)
EC3 versus Dean Ambrose
EC3 charges Ambrose nailing him with a spear. Ambrose fends him off, but EC3 uses his strength to slam Ambrose down. Signature EC3 taunt, followed by a running elbow. Ambrose retakes control by slamming EC3 into the corner…EC3 hits the ringpost hard. Series of strikes by Ambrose. He transitions into a headlock. EC3 breaks the hold with a snapmare. Rights and lefts from EC3. Running elbow strike. Reverse STO by EC3. Stinger splash misses…Ambrose goes for a powerbomb…EC3 with a bridge pin. GOT EM! (Bye bye Dean.)
EC3 wins by pinfall
Ambrose can’t believe it. EC3 celebrates with fans in the first row.
Backstage Kurt Angle is trying to get pumped for his match when Charlie Caruso rolls up. She asks him how he feels to be competing tonight, especially against two superstars who have embarrassed him in the past Angle says that tonight…he’s not alone. Strowman walks up, and says that it’s an honor to be tagging with him tonight.
Main event is next! We go to commercial.
Mojo Rawley is giving himself another aggressive pep-talk into the mirror. He says that now is the time is to make this about him.
Drew McIntyre’s is the first out for our main event tag match. Video recap of McIntyre’s victory over Kurt Angle last November via submission. Corbin is out next. Video recap of Corbin and McIntyre’s attack on Strowman from last Monday.
The Monster Among Men is out first for his team. The Olympic Hero follows.
Drew McIntyre & Baron Corbin versus Kurt Angle & Braun Strowman
Corbin and Angle begin. Kurt dodges a lariat from Corbin, and nails him with a German suplex. Corbin slides to the outside to regroup with McIntyre. STROWMAN COMES OUT OF NOWHERE WITH A RUNNING SHOULDER BLOCK ONTO MCINTYRE. Kurt hits another German on Corbin, but with the ref distracted…gets destroyed by a headbutt from McIntyre. Heels are in control as we go to break.
Back from commercial. Corbin and Angle are in the ring, Corbin is in control. Corbin tags in Drew. Angle lands a few right hands, but dDrew pushes him back to the corner and tags Corbin back in. Corbin runs the post, tags Drew back in, and takes a shot at Braun. Drew delivers an Angle slam on Kurt Angle! Then he goes for the ankle lock on Kurt. But Kurt rolls out and tags in Braun. Braun takes out Drew and the Corbin. Braun goes for the power slam, but Drew slides out and pushes him out of the ring. Corbin takes over and slams Braun in to the ring posts. He rolls Braun back in the ring and tags in Drew. They go for a double team back body drop and Corbin goes for the cover. Braun kicks out at 2. Corbin tags Drew back in, they go for a double vertical suplex but Braun reverses. Braun tags in Angle. German suplex to Corbin, then to Drew. One more German suplex to Corbin and then knocks Drew over the top rope to the outside. Angle goes for another suplex, Corbin backs him in to a corner. But then Angle lands an Angle Slam on Corbin. Angle goes for the cover, Drew breaks it up at a 2 count. Braun gets back in the ring and tackles Drew. Braun delivers a right hand to Corbin and throws him over the top rope. Referee calls for the bell, DQ finish.
No Contest
Braun continues to attack Corbin on the outside. He goes to slam Drew in to the barricade but Drew ducks and lands a high kick to Braun to send him over the barricade. Drew and Corbin turn to Kurt and slam him in to the steel stairs. They put the stairs in to the ring and bring Kurt with it. They go to do a double choke slam on Kurt, but Braun interferes. Braun delivers a choke slam to Drew on the steps. Then choke slams Corbin on the steps. Braun and Kurt raise hands.
