Welcome to Ringside News’ coverage of Monday Night Raw!

Tonight’s Raw is set to feature The Man, Becky Lynch, as Stephanie McMahon invited the Royal Rumble winner to the show. Stephanie will apparently address Lynch and her WrestleMania match with Ronda Rousey, in what could be the opening segment.

Last week on Raw, Kurt Angle lost clean to Baron Corbin inside a few minutes. This his first singles match since losing harshly to Drew McIntyre a few months ago. Tonight Angle addresses his WWE future; is he about to retire? Or will he makes plans for WrestleMania? We will soon find out.

Finn Balor faces Bobby Lashley tonight in non-title action. Last week Bobby and Rush came out and attacked Finn Balor in a fairly unprovoked segment. Balor looks for some retribution tonight, in what is likely to be a WrestleMania-bound program.

Elsewhere tonight, Braun Strowman seeks revenge on Drew McIntyre and Baron Corbin, Sasha Banks and Bayley face Alicia Fox and Nikki Cross to determine the final spot in the tag team Elimination Chamber, and Jeff Jarrett takes on Elias with Road Dogg in his corner.

That’s the preview for tonight’s WWE Raw! Let us know what you’re excited to see by downloading the Ringside News app or following us on Instagram. Enjoy the show!

Monday Night Raw

Monday Night Raw from Portland, Oregon, opens with Stephanie McMahon in the ring. And she welcomes us to the show, and is about to introduce The Man, Becky Lynch, when her music cuts Steph off and the Royal Rumble makes her way to the ring.

Becky gets a great ovation in Portland, and Stephanie is grinning from ear-to-ear. McMahon goes right back to introducing Lynch and the fans cheer. Stephanie wants us to take a look back at last week, when Becky came out and challenged Ronda to a match at WrestleMania. We see the clip but it’s just Ronda’s retort at the end.

McMahon says she has never seen anyone go toe-to-toe with an angry Ronda and just smile at her. Becky asks “why wouldn’t I be smiling?” She says she has lots of reasons to smile, including the fans, the fact that she won the Royal Rumble, and the fact that she will slap the head off of Ronda. Stephanie says that she, more than anyone, wants Lynch to beat Ronda Rousey. That being said, she can’t help but notice that Lynch is wearing a knee brace, and is walking gingerly. Becky says she’s fine, but Stephanie then shows still images from the Royal Rumble, in which Nia Jax injured Becky’s leg.

McMahon says that Becky has been refusing medical treatment for eight days now. Lynch says she won the Royal Rumble on one leg, so she won’t let any doctor near her. Stephanie says she understands, she remembers when Lynch invaded Raw and got her nose broke, but all she wanted to do was continue fighting. Stephanie says she has never seen heart and determination like it, be it from a man or a woman. So she understands that Lynch doesn’t want to be evaluated, but she can’t let her compete if she isn’t medically cleared. Lynch gets fired-up and says she knows what is happening; she is the glitch in the system. She says she has earned everything she has gotten in this business, but Stephanie wouldn’t know anything about earning things or struggling. She says McMahon has always been a daddy’s girl and handed everything in life.

Stephanie holds her temper though, and says this is nothing to do with games or tricks. Lynch is a liability to WWE if she competes on an injury, so they cannot let her compete unless she is cleared by a doctor. She says that if Lynch is medically fine, then it shouldn’t be a problem, but she knows Becky is more injured than she is letting on. She begs Lynch to go see the doctor, because she can’t compete regardless. Lynch refuses, and says no-one will take her moment away. McMahon says that if Becky won’t see a doctor, then she will have to suspend her until she does. Lynch continues to refuse and says she won’t be held responsible for her actions if she does that.  Stephanie asks her again, then says she is suspended as of this moment. Stephanie turns to walk away but Lynch turns her around and punches her! Lynch looks for the Dis-Arm-Her but can’t lock-it-in because of her knee. She limps around until officials swarm the ring, but then she attacks them. Stephanie leaves as Becky is restrained. 

After the break, Ronda Rousey will take-on Liv Morgan!

*Commercial Break*

Becky Lynch is being escorted out of the arena as Ronda Rousey comes up to her. Ronda says that she is a professional who is doing her best to sell their match at Wrestlemania. Meanwhile, Becky Lynch beating up Stephanie McMahon did not sell their PPV and is robbing the women’s revolution of their main event at Wrestlemania. Ronda calls her unprofessional and to stay home and rest up, because at WrestleMania she will give her an ass-whipping her woe-is-me ass can lament. She walks off but then comes back and says “ice and Advil, bitch.”

Rousey then comes to the ring for a match, with The Riott Squad already at Ringside.

Ronda Rousey Vs. Liv Morgan W/Ruby Riott & Sarah Logan

The bell rings and Liv Morgan slides out of the ring to regroup with The Riott Squad. She gets back in the ring and as soon as Ronda approaches her, she goes back out.
With Ronda distracted, Liv goes to attack Ronda but the Champ was ready. Liv tries to Matrix-duck Ronda but gets punched in the gut. Ronda then catches her in the arm bar submission as Liv Morgan taps out.

Winner: Ronda Rousey

After the match Ronda grabs the microphone and says every one is booing her and the rest of the Riott Squad is eyeing her. Ronda says to do something about it as Sarah Logan gets in the ring.

Ronda Rousey vs. Sarah Logan

Logan gets in the ring and drives Rousey into the corner. Rousey gets out of it and goes for the armbar but Ruby and Liv pull Logan to the outside as we head to the commercial break.

*Commercial Break*

Back from commercial, Logan lifts Ronda and drops her into the corner once again. Logan looks for a right hand but Ronda flips Logan over the ropes and drops her with a right hand of her own.

Logan gets back inside and The Champion unloads punches on her before applying the armbar for the win.

Winner: Ronda Rousey

Ruby Riott considers getting in the ring but changes her mind. They leave and we see Ronda celebrate. Backstage, we see The Riott Squad and Ruby says she wouldn’t face Ronda tonight, but she will someday, and then she will win.

Heavy Machinery make their way to the ring for a Four Corner Tag Match, next!

*Commercial Break*

We’re back from the break to see Sasha Banks and Bayley be interviewed by Charly Caruso. She asks the team if their recent failures against Ronda Rousey will affect them in qualifying in their tag team match tonight. Banks gets fired-up but Bayley stops her and says on their own, they are great, but together they’re unstoppable. Banks says they will qualify for Elimination Chamber then become the first-ever Women’s Tag Team Champions. Nikki Cross and Alicia Fox walk up and say they shouldn’t underestimate them. Then Cross says nobody but Fox wanted to play with her. Nothing of note.

Four Corners Tag Team Match

Heavy Machinery Vs. Lucha House Party Vs. The B-Team Vs. tHE rEVIVAL

We start this four-way match off with Tucker Knight and Dash Wilder. Knight takes Wilder down and goes for the early cover but Wilder kicks out. Tucker tags Otis into the match and they hit a double-team slam, followed by double headbutts for a near-fall.

Otis lifts Wilder for a spinning power slam. He sends Wilder to the ropes and tags Tucker, then both men hit a double team on the former NXT Tag Champion. The B-Team come into the ring but Heavy Machinery take them both out. The Lucha House Party jump onto the ring apron and hit double Asai moonsaults to Dallas and Axel.

Heavy Machinery perform a little dance, then lift Dawson up and throw him to the outside of the ring onto everyone else. Heavy Machinery in control.

*Commercial Break*

We return as Dawson catches Metalik with a side suplex and scores a two count. Dorado comes in off the tag with a high crossbody springboard. Wilder storms the ring to stop him but Dorado hits a dropkick – then landed on Dawson with a moonsault for a near-fall.

Otis tags himself in and structure is gone from the match now. Dozer does the worm into an elbow for a two count. The Revival clear the ring before hitting Otis with the Shatter Machine for the win!

Winners: The Revival

The Revival celebrate after the match and make the referee hold their arms up over and over. They have earned a future title shot… again!

We see Curt Hawkins watching backstage and Zack Ryder comes in. Ryder says, don’t worry they’ll be in the next one. Hawkins laughs and can’t believe Ryder wants anything to do with him. He says he’s toxic. Ryder says that will change soon. Hawkins reminds Ryder that he’s lost 200+ matches, to which Ryder says he’s been here for 13 years and they can’t even spell his name right. They’re both losers, but that will change soon.

We see Kurt Angle walking backstage, shaking hands with everyone he meets. Definitely hinting at a retirement.

*Commercial Break*

We’re back from the break and out comes the WWE Hall of Famer, Kurt Angle.

Angle starts off by saying “Intensity, integrity, and intelligence.” They aren’t just words, they are something he has lived his life by. He says he is reminded of his accomplishments, from winning the WWE Championship to tearing the house down with Shawn Michaels, soiling the ring with milk to meeting a son he never knew he had. But lately those words have turned into doubt, defeat, and depression. He says his recent matches with Baron Corbin and Drew McIntyre have made him really doubt that he still has what it takes. Angle says in his day he has defeated them all. However he knows that there is on opponent that he can’t defeat, and that is father time. Suddenly he’s interrupted.

Baron Corbin comes to the stage and says “blah, blah, blah.” He asks Kurt to wrap it up, and asks if Angle wants a pity party. He says Angle did this to himself. He says we should have heard this speech two years ago at the Hall of Fame, but instead he signed a contract and had to try and prove that he still has it. He says Angle is a shadow of his former self, a broken down man. Angle says this shadow of a man will break his angle.

Drew McIntyre comes out and berates Angle for still being here, saying he saw fear in the man’s eyes when he faces him. He says Kurt Angle has no quit in him, but Angle keeps coming back until something drastic happens him. He tells Portland to shut up, and they boo, then tells them to get their camera’s ready because they’re about to see history. The two of them walk down to the ring but Kurt Angle receives some help.

Braun Strowman makes his way down ringside but Drew McIntyre shows no fear in running to meet him on the ramp. They brawl until Strowman gets the better of him and Angle sends Corbin from the ring. Both men turn tail and run, leaving Angle and Strowman in the ring. Do I smell a WrestleMania match?

Up next, Seth Rollins addresses his beat-down last week.

*Commercial Break*

We’re back and we see a replay of Kurt Angle and Braun Strowman teaming-up, and now it’s official, they will face-off tonight. WrestleMania may have been a stretch. 

A video recapping Seth Rollins’ Royal Rumble win, followed by his beating at the hands of Lesnar last week is shown.

Sasha Banks and Bayley begin making their way out for their tag team match but they’re attacked by Nikki Cross and Alicia Fox! The crazy duo beat on Sasha and Bayley on the stage until officials come out to break it up. They toss Bayley into the LED wall, then kicks Banks. The officials finally get them to stop. They make their way ringside for the match but will it even happen?

*Commercial Break*

Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match

Sasha Banks & Bayley Vs. Nikki Cross & Alicia Fox

We return to see the match in progress, and Bayley hits Nikki Cross with a flying elbow. Cross jumps on Bayley’s back but the hugger backs her into the corner. Foxy tags in and immediately jumps on Bayley’s back, just like Cross was. Bayley flips her off but Foxy tosses her to the corner.

Bayley connects with a second rope back elbow for a two count. Bayley with a back suplex, but Cross breaks the pin attempt. Bayley hits Cross with a back suplex as well, then tosses her from the ring, before hitting Fox with a stunner over the ropes. Fox leaves the ring to regroup with Cross but Bayley goes out and brings them back in.

Bayley gets inside but Fox connects with a split kick, before applying a rear chin lock. Bayley tries to fight out but Fox slams her down and tags Cross. They places Bayley in the tree of woe and make quick tags to beat on her. Cross hits a bulldog to Bayley for a two count, then gets frustrated and kicks Bayley from the ring.

Cross gets on the apron and dives off with a crossbody to Bayley on the floor. She smacks herself in the forehead before running at Bayley, however Sasha pulls Bayley out of the way and Cross runs into the ringpost. They all get back into the ring and Foxy tags in. Bayley rolls her up for the surprise win!

Winners: Sasha Banks & Bayley

After the match, Bayley and Sasha celebrate their win like lovers. They are now the final team qualified for the women’s Elimination Chamber match.

Up next, Jeff Jarrett Vs. Elias. Yep.

*Commercial Break*

Apollo Crews is backstage with Charly Caruso, who asks him if he’s surprised that Kurt Angle is competing tonight. Crews says he is glad and Caruso asks him why he’s glad, insinuating that Angle is a relic. Crews says Angle won a gold medal with a broken frickin’ neck, he’s allowed to have a few bad matches. Razar shows up with Drake Maverick. They taunt Crews about how his Olympic hero has no chance to win. Crews comes face-to-face with Rezar, which will probably lead to a match.

Road Dogg comes out next and introduces himself, the only way he knows how. He says his belly has gotten a little bigger and his goatee is grey, but he’s not the attraction here, then introduce JJ!

Jarrett comes to the ring and introduces himself, and says he is the world’s greatest singer and guitar player. Him and Road Dogg banter back and forth, then begin to sing a song together.

Elias comes out and tells them the song they’ve been singing for 25 years is just like them. It hasn’t aged well. He asks Jarrett if he can even play the guitar, then says Road Dogg should be on SmackDown bringing down their ratings instead. He says he would rather watch the half time show of the Super Bowl but he preferred to be in Portland. That got a laugh. A city which doesn’t even have an NFL team. That got a boo. Elias says it’s easy. He comes out, they shut up and he sings. But he will not sing in Portland. He says Jeff and Road Dogg can keep up this pathetic act but it won’t change the truth and that truth is that WWE stands for Walk With Elias.

Jeff Jarrett says in the immortal words of one of his greatest rivalries, “hey chico, don’t sing it, bring it.” Jeff Jarrett gets out of the ring and goes after Elias. A right hand by Jarrett and Elias gets in the ring. The referee rings for the bell.

Jeff Jarrett W/Road Dogg Vs. Elias

They run at each other and start to throw hands. Elias gets knocked down and rolls from the ring. Jarrett and Road Dogg corner him but Elias runs back inside. Jarrett follows by Elias rolls back out as we head to the break.

*Commercial Break*

Back from commercial and Elias connects with a kick to floor Jarrett. After a chop, Jarrett responds with a kick, followed by a hip toss to the drifter. Jarrett sends Elias to the ropes but receives a jumping knee to the face.

Elias mocks Jeff Jarrett’s iconic walk and the fans boo. Elias whips Jarrett to the ropes and hits an elbow to the face. He goes for the cover but Jarrett kicks out. Elias applies a headlock but Jarrett fights out of it. Elias grabs him for a suplex and goes for the cover but Jarrett kicks out. A right hand by Jarrett but Elias with a kick to the stomach takes Jarrett down. A rather slow-paced match so far. A jumping elbow drop by Elias as he goes for the cover but Jarrett again with the kick out.

Elias sends Jarrett to the ropes and catches him with a sleeper. Jarrett sits down and breaks up the sleeper. Elias with a right hand on Road Dogg taking him down on the outside. Jarrett with a right hand on Elias, he sends Elias to the ropes and a clothesline takes Elias out. Jarrett with an enziguiri and with Road Dogg on the ring apron, he gets taken down by Elias again. Elias runs towards Jarrett but Jarrett ducks, Elias land connects with Drift Away for the win.

Winner: Elias

Road Dogg gets in the ring after the match and starts to beat on Elias. Jarrett grabs hits guitar and smashes Elias with it and the fans cheer. That match went on way too long.

Natalya is backstage as Dana Brooke walks in. She apologises for last week and how they lost. Dana says she realises how important the women’s tag team titles are to her. Natalya gives Dana the silent treatment. Dana says she will go find a McMahon and make a match for next week to prove to her that she belongs here. Dana walks away as Natalya takes the ear pods off, hearing nothing.

*Commercial Break*

Finn Balor is interviewed by Charly Caruso backstage, and she continues her role as heel interviewer, by saying Finn got his ass kicked by Brock Lesnar. She asks why he’s still here. Finn says the Irish are stubborn when they’re hurt, as Becky proved earlier tonight. Yes his arm is hurting, yes he probably shouldn’t be here, but that’s not gonna stop him.

Balor makes his way to the ring and we see replays of his match with Lesnar. Bobby Lashly and Lio Rush come out and Rush makes fun of Balor’s size. Lashley says that he could beat Brock Lesnar in a wrestling match, in a ring, in an octagon, and in his sleep. So if Finn couldn’t beat Lesnar, he doesn’t stand a chance tonight. He says Finn needs to find an opponent his own size. So he’ll be facing Rush tonight, and if he can entertain Lashley, he’ll consider a title match. Before the match can begin though, Lashley attacks Finn, slams him into the corner, then hits a one-handed spinebuster. They bump fists before Lashley leaves the ring.

Finn Balor Vs. Lio Rush W/Bobby Lashley

The referee calls for the bell at Finn’s request and Rush attacks immediately. Balor tries to turn the tables but Rush kicks the injured ribs. Rush continues the attack but Finn trips him up and stomps on him until Rush rolls from the ring.

Finn hits a basement dropkick, then looks or a kick from the apron but Lashley pulls him off and to the floor. The referee ejects Lashley from ringside! Rush gets back inside and connects with a rough suicide dive to the outside, as we take a break.

*Commercial Break*

Back from commercial, both men are back in the ring. A knee by Balor takes Rush down. Balor gets on the ring apron as Rush runs towards him but a kick to the face by Balor takes Rush down. Balor climbs the top rope but Rush pushes Balor off. A right hand by Rush who climbs the second rope. Rush lands a hurricanrana. He goes for the cover but Balor kicks out. Rush stretches Balor’s arm with a modified abdominal stretch.

Balor makes it up to his feet and reverses it, then unloads right hands by Balor. Next is the sling blade by Finn Balor. He grabs Rush and lifts him up but he’s too sore to do anything about it. Rush reverses it into a cover but Balor kicks out. Rush climbs the top rope and goes for the frog splash but Balor moves out of the way and drop kicks Rush. Finn Balor climbs the top rope and the Coup de Grâce and scores the win.

Winner: Finn Balor

Bobby Lashley runs to the ring as Finn Balor rolls to the outside. Finn heads to the back.

A few minutes later, Paige’s music hits and she shows up on stage to a surprisingly loud pop. Paige says there’s a movie coming out called Fighting with my Family and it’s a movie about her. They air the trailer for the movie.

*Commercial Break*

Alexa Bliss is on stage and says that her guest is a superstar who is a man of mystery and frankly, she can’t wait to get to know him better. She introduces EC3 to the show.  Alexa Bliss says EC3 has everything going for him: he’s young, good looking, and has a very large bank account. He smiles. She asks him if he will be on Raw or SmackDown.

Before EC3 can answer though, out comes Nia Jax with Tamina. She says she will answer it for him. Jax says she would say she is sorry for interrupting but she’s not. Nia says they should be talking about her week, how she broke boundaries by entering the men’s Royal Rumble match. Or even how her and Tamina qualified for the Elimination Chamber match. Jax says they did that by beating her. Alexa says technically, Mickie lost the match. Nia Jax says this is her moment. The whole WWE universe is talking and tweeting about her wondering what she will do next. Nia says she might fill in for Becky Lynch at Wrestlemania.

Dean Ambrose’s music hits. He comes out and Jax asks how he dares to interrupt her interrupt. Ambrose tells Alexa he is sorry because he doesn’t want to be out there but it’s obvious that Nia has a crush on him. She’s not the first one to have a crush on him and it will be hard for her but for her to stay away from him. He asks Alexa who this is, point to EC3. Just as EC3 was about to talk, Ambrose slaps the microphone out of his hand.

Ambrose asks EC3 what EC3 stands for and where is EC1 and EC2. Dean says he looks like a Creed fan. He asks why he walks backstage like a mute chippendale dancer instead of getting in the ring. EC3 with a right hand on Dean Ambrose! EC3 makes his way to the ring for a match after the commercial break.

*Commercial Break*

Dean Ambrose Vs. EC3

We return to see the match in progress. EC3 is holding Ambrose at bay until the lunatic tosses him into the ring post, shoulder-first. Ambrose then stomps EC3 down before applying a sleeper hold.

EC3 fights back and hits a snapmare, followed by right hands, and a flying forearm. EC3 reverses Ambrose to lands a reverse Russian leg sweep. Ambrose avoids him in the corner and grabs holds of him for a powerbomb, but EC3 rolls him up for the win!

Winner: EC3

EC3 picks-up a big win over the former WWE Champion, but future-endeavoured Dean Ambrose.

Charly Caruso approaches Kurt Angle and asks him how it would feel to best two Superstars who embarrassed him recently. Angle says he wasn’t expecting to compete tonight. He says he almost left his gear at home tonight, but something inside him told him to bring it. So he wasn’t expecting to compete, but he won’t be doing it alone. Braun Strowman is right by his side. Angle says Braun never met a port-a-pottie, limousine, ambulance, or disrespectful Superstar he didn’t want to destroy. Strowman says it will be an honour to team with him tonight and they march off towards the ring.

*Commercial Break*

We see Mojo Rawley sitting backstage talking to himself again, and saying positivity hasn’t worked out for him. He starts laughing at something he said, then says it’s all about him.

Drew McIntyre & Baron Corbin Vs. Kurt Angle & Braun Strowman

We start things off with Baron Corbin and Kurt Angle. Angle ducks a clothesline and hits a German suplex. Angle looks for the Ankle Lock but McIntyre drags Corbin out of the ring. Strowman gets off the apron and runs around to shoulder tackle McIntyre.

Corbin slid back in and got caught immediately by another German suplex. Angle looked for the Ankle Lock again but Corbin kicked him off and onto the ropes, where Drew sucker punched him.

*Commercial Break*

We return to see Corbin still in control of Angle, which Drew taunts him from the apron. Angle gets back to his feet but Drew tags in and the two of them stomp at Angle in the corner. Drew drops him with a chop to the chest.

McIntyre gets a punch blocked, but then forces Angle to the corner and tags Corbin again. Angle blocks a punch again and this time unloads on Corbin, then reverses a whip but McIntyre slides out of the ring, tagging McIntyre in the process, and slides back in to knock Strowman off. Angle looks to apply the Ankle Lock to Corbin but McIntyre kicks him off.

McIntyre and Strowman then argue before Drew reverses an Angle Slam to hit one of his own. Drew taunts Angle before applying the Ankle Lock in the centre of the ring. Angle flips over to get Drew off, then makes the tag to Braun. The Monster storms the ring, knocking Corbin off the apron, and splashing McIntyre in the corner. McIntyre is lifted onto Braun’s shoulders but he throws the Monster off and out of the ring.

Corbin makes the tag and jumps off the apron to attack Braun. Corbin then tosses him to the ring post, then again. He slams Braun against the barricade before putting him back in the ring. Back in the ring, Drew hits a neckbreaker for a near-fall and tags Corbin. They hit a double-team move on Braun or another near-fall and start to get frustrated.  They grab Braun for a suplex but he reverses it and suplexes them both. Braun makes the tag and comes in and hits multiple German suplexes, followed by an Angle Slam but McIntyre breaks the pin. 

Strowman storms the ring and shoulder tackles McIntyre right out of the ring. Corbin gets in Braun’s face, so Strowman tosses him out and attacks both men at ringside. Braun takes a run-up and drops Corbin with a huge shoulder. He looks to do the same to McIntyre but the Scottish Psychopath avoids it and hits a Claymore over the barricade! McIntyre pulls Angle out and slams him into the steel steps. They then take the steps apart and put Angle inside the ring with the bottom of the steps. They grab him for a double chokeslam but Braun returns and gives them individual chokeslams onto the steps.

No Contest

Kurt Angle and Strowman stand tall to end the show. Corbin and McIntyre are down and out as Kurt and Braun celebrate.

That’s it for this week’s Raw. Let us know what you thought and be sure to come back tomorrow for more wrestling news and results.