Let’s look at the go-home show for Monday Night RAW before the Elimination Chamber PPV.
Last Week’s Smackdown Live Review
Monday Night RAW started this week with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in the ring. They hyped Sunday’s PPV. They reminded us that Becky Lynch was suspended last week after refusing to see a doctor. They tell us that Lynch saw a doctor recently, and before they finished speaking, she was coming down the ramp. HHH issued an apology to Lynch, and lifted her suspension. They shook hands, but then there was a catch. Becky could get her Wrestlemania match if Becky apologized to Stephanie. Becky was on board with this at all, saying she would fight anyone but wouldn’t apologize. As Becky tried leaving the ring Stephanie got in her face. HHH and Stephanie left the ring after telling her that she needs to apologize to get her match.
Sasha Banks & Bayley vs. Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan w/ Ruby Riott vs. Nia Jax & Tamina
To preview the Women’s Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber Match, the three RAW teams faced each other in a tag team triple threat match. Before the commercial break there was a spot outside where Ruby Riott, who wasn’t in the match, ran Sasha Banks into a ringside barricade. Banks walked to the back after the break. This is to continue their story that Bayley has been doing all the work for their tag team. Tamina is seemingly in a position in her team where she took all the bumps. She was attacked by the Riott Squad for minutes on end, while Nia Jax might have not been slammed once in this match. When Nia was run into a ringpost, Tamina tagged herself in. She tried for a Frogsplash off the top, but Sarah Logan put her knees up to counter it. Liv Morgan and Bayley tagged in. After a big combo of moves, Bayley gave Morgan an Elbow Drop off the top for a pin that Logan broke up. She landed a Bayley-to-Belly, and then Tamina came in and kicked Bayley in the head. Jax was tagged in and hit a Samoan Drop to win the match. I would guess that Banks will do another antics thing during the Elimination Chamber match. Because of a stipulation of this match, Bayley and Sasha Banks will start first in their match on Sunday. So, not the most fan-friendly start to the show so far as a heel team won clean and a segment with Becky Lynch sort of ended boring
Elias Performs
Elias was in the ring. Before he began performing we saw on the big screen Becky Lynch and Finn Balor backstage. Balor implied that Lynch should apologize. We got re-introduced to Elias after. Did they mean to introduce him the first time? We saw a Seth Rollins video package, which cut off Elias this time. After the video package, Elias was introduced a third time. This time he was cut off by the Lucha House Party. Oh, I was duped. This was a comedy bit. Well, I guess you know it’s a good joke when it catches you like that. At this point, I realized that there were two guitars in the ring, so I’m going to predict that one or maybe two would be used as a weapon. Elias mentioned how his album wasn’t nominated for the Grammys. Kalisto says that the Lucha House Party wants to “walk with Elias.” He then performed a song about how he hates Grand Rapids. The Lucha House Party all gave his performance a thumbs down. Kalisto offered to perform. He was given the guitar, played something simple which made people cheer him on. Elias offered to do a duet, and then, of course, grabbed his second guitar and smashed it on Kalisto’s back.
Finn Balor vs. Drew McIntyre
Before Finn Balor’s title match this weekend, he faced Drew McIntyre on this show. His opponents on Sunday, Bobby Lashley and Lio Rush, were at ringside. When Balor went to the top rope during the match, Lashley pushed Balor off the top, making the match end via DQ. Lashley and McIntyre teamed up on Balor until Kurt Angle made the save. Angle cleaned house, putting Lio Rush in an Angle Lock. Baron Corbin came from the back to take down Angle. Braun Stroman came out to join the chaos. The heels stood on the ramp while we went to commercials.
Finn Balor, Braun Stroman & Kurt Angle vs. Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre & Baron Corbin
Hmm, I wonder what they are going to do with this even number of guys all in ring gear. Of course an impromptu tag match was made. Lashley gave Balor a move to end the match (or so we thought) after Lio Rush played as a distraction. Balor put his leg up to end a pinfall, but the referee did not see it. Another ref came out to correct this, making the match restart. At some point Stroman was thrown over the barricade and stayed there for a long time. He eventually got up and went on a roll against all of his opponents. Angle gave Corbin a German Suplex on the floor. Lashley and Stroman were the legal competitors, with Stroman landing a Running Powerslam and then tagging in Finn Balor for a Coup de Grace that ended the match. It was fun to see how much the crowd loved this ending. But other than that, this felt boring. I’m so over the Kurt Angle thing.
Nikki Cross vs. Ruby Riott
After the next match we saw a promo from Kevin Owens. He was in a bowling alley. He talked about how he doesn’t know what brand he will be on, but will be back in a month. During the match we saw Ronda Rousey tell Becky Lynch to apologize. Riott won the match with a kick of some sort. I don’t understand why Riott had to face Cross. Like, I get that she should win a match since she’s facing Rousey on Sunday, but why against Cross, who just debuted?
Seth Rollins Reflects and Looks Forward
Seth Rollins came out to talk about his recent success and his upcoming match with Brock Lesnar. He was cut off by Paul Heyman, who introduced Brock Lesnar. Well, Lesnar actually didn’t show up despite being called out by his mouthpiece. Heyman cut a promo, and then Seth told him that he will do anything to win. After Heyman left, Dean Ambrose came to the ring and gave Rollins words of encouragement. Ambrose part was weird, but the rest was fine.
Dean Ambrose vs. EC3
EC3 faced Dean Ambrose in the next match. This match was presumably set up because of EC3 being roasted by Ambrose on Alexa’s talk show last week. Ambrose won via roll-up, to no reaction from the audience. Alexa Bliss played the devil on Becky Lynch’s shoulder backstage, telling her to not say sorry. Lynch didn’t buy Bliss’ advice, thinking that only encouraged her to not apologize so that her Wrestlemania spot would be available.
Bobby Roode & Chad Gable vs. The Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder) (WWE RAW Tag Team Championship Match)
The next match was Bobby Roode and Chad Gable versus The Revival. Gable and Roode are the champions but it doesn’t feel like anyone knows them. It was sad to hear Roode’s music hit but seemingly not have a single person in the audience singing it. Before we went to a break, Gable did a Moonsault off the ropes to the outside onto The Revival. Much later into the match, Roode hit a Spinebuster on Scott Dawson for a two count. Gable went off the ropes but was hit with a Shatter Machine to end the match. The finish was great, and the match was great, but why are The Revival champs? It felt like this was just done so people don’t think that this go-home show was pointless.
Becky Apolgizes
The final segment of the show was Becky Lynch meeting with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. Just like before, they wanted Lynch to apologize. Lynch eventually apologized, solving the issue between her and the duo. But this didn’t solve her apparent issue with Vince McMahon, who came out and said he wasn’t satisfied by the apology. He suspended her for 60 days, which takes her off the Wrestlemania show. Vince announced Charlotte Flair as her replacement. Okay, I understand that they want to build to a triple threat match, but I don’t get the story behind this. It’s like they started the script for this show today and said “Okay, we need Charlotte in the picture immediately.”
JackWannan.com 