WWE Monday Night Raw opens with a look back at last night’s show, with a focus on Braun Strowman’s destruction.
We go live to the arena and the announcers mention that tonight Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns will meet face-to-face, then we see the replay of Ronda Rousey’s contract signing.
We return to the arena and out comes the RAW Women’s Champion, Alexa Bliss, accompanied by Mickie James. As the duo walk to the ring we see pictures from last night’s women’s Chamber match, as well as Asuka Vs. Nia Jax. In the ring, Alexa points to the screen and says “wow, what a historic moment.” She says she continues to amaze herself, and last night she did it by retaining her Championship in the first-ever women’s Elimination Chamber match. She says people will be talking about her accomplishments for a decade to come. She says she isn’t a selfish person and she gives credit where it is due, so she turns to Mickie James. Alexa says James showed last night why she is a former Women’s Champion and future Hall Of Famer. Then, she says she has learned a lot from Mickie and will gladly learn more. Turning her attention to her opponents, Alexa says Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville have bright futures but not as long as she is Champion. As for Bayley, she’s a sad situation. And Sasha? She didn’t even have to do anything because Sasha’s massive ego got in her own way. “Sorry boss, this just isn’t your year.” Since she came to RAW, this has been her show. And at WrestleMania, she will break Asuka’s streak, that is, if Asuka makes it to WrestleMania after Nia broke her in half last night.
The Empress of Tomorrow then stomps her way to the ring, showing no signs of wear, and the fans chant “Asuka’s going to kill you”. Alexa says she finds it funny that Asuka is pretending to be healthy, because last night Nia humiliated her. She says Nia should have been added to the Championship match, were it not for one tiny slip-up. Alexa then speaks loud and slow and says she knows Asuka’s english is not great but her body language says different. Asuka looks ready to fight and Alexa tells her that she can fight her…
Nia Jax comes to the ring but Asuka doesn’t wait and she attacks Mickie and Alexa but then gets bowled over by Nia. Jax lifts Asuka up for a powerbomb but the Empress takes her down with an armbar. Alexa and Mickie return and beat on Asuka but Sasha Banks and Bayley come to her aid. Sasha and Bayley double-team Alexa, and Mickie but then Nia takes them out and Alexa clobbers Asuka. The heels leave the ring and retreat up the ramp.
Later tonight, Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns meet, and John Cena speaks on his lack of direction headed to WrestleMania.
*Commercial Break*
Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax & Mickie James vs. Sasha Banks, Bayley & Asuka
We are back live with a six woman tag team match in progress and Bayley and Mickie James in the ring. Bayley tosses James to the corner, but James fires back with a few kicks. Bayley plants James with a scoop slam and drops a quick elbow. James with a huricanrana takedown on Bayley from the corner for a two count.
A tag to Nia who headbutts the ribs of Bayley, a strange one. Jax with another quick headbutt and charges Bayley in the corner. Bliss gets the tag and chops the chest of Bayley. Bliss with kicks and chokes Bayley with her boot in the corner. Bayley dumps Bliss to the corner repeatedly. Banks tags herself in when Bayley backs to the corner. Banks with double knees to Bliss for a two count. Banks trips up Bliss and gets a roll up for another two count. Banks is knocked from the ring, then catches Bliss with a high knee. Back inside, Banks lands double knees in the corner for a two count.
Banks with a double dropkick shot to both Bliss and James through the ropes on the outside. Banks tosses Bliss back inside the ring, but Jax jumps off of the apron and runs into Banks, knocking her flying! Bliss tosses Banks back in and gets a two count off a pinfall attempt. Bliss dumps Banks to the corner and Banks rolls out as we head to the break.
*Commercial Break*
Back live, Jax cuts off a tag out attempt by Banks. Tag to James who hits a snapmare and boot to the face combo on Banks. James tosses Banks face first to the corner and tags in Bliss who kicks away at Banks in the corner. Bliss keeps Banks grounded in a headlock. Bliss cuts off Banks with a clothesline and then gets in a cheap shot on Asuka. Banks jumps to tag in Bayley.
Bayley jumps down and backs up staring down Banks. Banks counters a finisher attempt by James and tags in Asuka. Asuka with a dropkick to James, strikes and then a leaping shot off the ropes. Asuka with a kick to Jax knocking her down. Asuka with a big knee to James and big kicks. Asuka with a shot to Jax knocking her back and Asuka with a kick to James. Bliss breaks up the pin. Bayley takes out Bliss jumping back in. Asuka gets a kneebar applied on James, who quickly taps out.
Winners: Sasha Banks, Bayley & Asuka
After the match, we see Bayley smiling on the outside. She turns and stares down an upset Sasha Banks who is just starting to recover at ringside. Bayley walks up the ramp and continues smiling.
John Cena will be out after the break to discuss his road to WrestleMania.
*Commercial Break*
John Cena makes his way to the ring to a song of “Cena Sucks” by Anaheim. He says last night he failed. And proceeding that failure he was immediately thrown into a room with a microphone and he came across as very down. He says a person’s character is not defined by when they’re riding a wave of success and everyone loves them but when their back is against the wall and they have a mountain to climb. He says this is his downtime.
Cena continues to say that he gave himself five minutes to be down but then he moved forward. He said his last words on RAW Talk were, “I’ll figure it out”. He says he and the fans are not strangers to failure, and you won’t hear any other WWE Superstar’s out here telling you’ve when they’ve failed. The fans boo and he stops talking and soaks it in. He says failure has made him who he is, and failure gives you two options, fall down and die or get up and try again. And he’s back up because he’s figured it out. He’s doing something he should have done a long time ago….and that’s put out a WrestleMania challenge to The Undertaker! The fans exploded and chant “YES!”.
Cena seems genuinely very excited and says 39 WrestleMania’s between him and The Undertaker, yet they’ve never stood opposite each other. He says that match is what WrestleMania is all about…but that match isn’t happening. He doesn’t make the matches and he has been told that the match is not happening. Can’t happen. He says now the fans understand disappoint and failure, so from here he will move to SmackDown Live and try to earn a spot at WrestleMania. He will go there tomorrow night. Cena drops the mic and walks off. Interesting stuff.
Michael Cole talks about Roman Reigns Vs. Brock Lesnar and shows an Instagram post from Paul Heyman.
*Commercial Break*
We return and out comes Bray Wyatt for a match against Heath Slater.
Before the match, Bray Wyatt attacks Rhyno sending him to the outside. Wyatt then takes out Slater and plants Rhyno when he jumps back in. Wyatt is laughing and drops down in his backwards pose. Wyatt with a big charge to Slater in the corner and throws big right hands as he laughs some more.
Wyatt grabs Slater, pretends to dance with him and hits Sister Abigail. It’s over but the match never officially started. Wyatt drops to his knees and then hits a Sister Abigail on Rhyno as well. Wyatt grabs a mic and falls to the corner. “Look what you made me do. You made me hurt this innocent men. This is your fault Matt Hardy. You led them to slaughter. The great war is far from over my friend. You will face me again, but this time I will make sure your Woken eyes stay shut forever.” Wyatt begins laughing. “I’m coming for you, Matt. I’m coming for you…run.”
The Miz will find out his WrestleMania opponent next. We see the man himself walking with The Miztourage backstage.
