WWE Monday Night Raw opens with a look back at Roylal Rumble, and specifically, the main event where Ronday Rousey made her debut.
We go live to the arena and out comes Stephanie McMahon. As Stephanie makes her entrance the announcers introduce Johnathon Coachman as the new 3rd member of the announce team, replacing Booker T. They announce that tonight, Roman Reigns will invoke his rematch clause and challenge The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship.
Stephanie welcomes us to Raw and talks about the 25th anniversary of Raw last week, before saying the next 25 years starts tonight in Philly. She goes on to re-cap the Women’s Royal Rumble Match, saying that the game changed when WWE’s newest acquisition debuted, former UFC Bantamweight Champion, Rowdy Ronda Rowsey, but that was last night. Tonight is about the winner of last night’s Royal Rumble, the undefeated Empress of Tomorrow, Asuka!
The lady herself comes to the ring and Stephanie congratulates her on her monumental win. Stephanie says normally this would be when she asks who Asuka will face at WrestleMania but she might want to wait a while to choose because in 4 weeks Alexa Bliss will defend her Women’s Championship against five other women in the first ever women’s Elimination Chamber match!
Asuka then takes the mic and starts talking in Japanese and the crowd cheer/what?. Eventually Asuka points at the WrestleMania sign and Stephanie says “now that I understand”. Asuka says at WreslteMania she will become the Champion because nobody is ready for Asuka! Well, out comes The Boss, Sasha Banks!
Banks apologises for interrupting and says that last night was incredible because women main-evented a Royal Rumble and she got to share the ring with 29 other amazing Superstars, including Asuka. However, for an entire year Asuka has been coming out here and saying nobody is ready for her, but she is ready tonight! The two of them butt heads and Stephanie separates them before saying that it is official, tonight Asuka will face Sasha Banks!
We go back to the announcers, who tell us that Kurt Angle has announced a tournament to determine who gets to face Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania. There will be a series of qualifying matches, with the winners competing in an Elimination Chamber, with the winner of that match facing Lesnar! So tonight, we will get three qualifying matches, which include Matt Hardy Vs. Elias, John Cena Vs. Finn Balor, and Braun Strowman facing Kane in a Last Man Standing match, which happens next!
*Commercial Break*
Last Man Standing Match
Braun Strowman vs. Kane
We join this match in progress to see Kane send Strowman into the ring post before hitting him with a kendo stick. They immediately begin brawling through the crowd.
Strowman takes control back with a few strikes before slamming his head off a barricade. Strowman drags him over to the tech area and bounces his head off the table before cracking him in the back with a chair. Strowman slams his head off a barricade and runs a heavy crate into his head. The commentators scatter because they’re right in front of the table now.
Strowman drives the chair into Kane’s midsection and looks at the table. A “YES” chant breaks out from the fans in Philly. Strowman then lifts the platform the table is on and dumps it on top of Kane! The referee counts Kane down and declares Strowman the winner!
Winner: Braun Strowman
Strowman leaves the ringside area, as agents and referees run out to assist Kane. They shout for paramedics to come out and help Kane. Strowman then comes back out to a big reception. Corey Graves has a microphone and says Kane is a human being before asking what he just did. Strowman says he did his job; Kurt Angle said this is Last Man Standing, so that’s what he did! Strowman looks at Kane on the ground before walking off. Wow is Braun Strowman fun and now he is qualified for the Elimination Chamber.
*Commercial Break*
We’re back and the announces are looking at what used to be their announce table. They show us replays of the insane action that just happened, then we see footage of Kane being stretchered away by officials. Next we see Braun Strowman walking backstage and Kurt Angle runs up to him, shouting angrily that every week Braun puts Superstars in serious danger and it has to stop. Strowman agrees for a second before screaming at Kurt that he is lucky he didn’t do more to Kane but he will also be the last man standing at Elimination Chamber and the last man standing at WrestleMania.
We go live to the arena and Elias is in the ring. Elias says he doesn’t care if they sing with him or say his phrases. Elias sings for himself because he likes the sound of his voice. Last night, he was disappointed because he was eliminated by John Cena. Now he looks to the future because the Elimination Chamber is on the horizon. Elias has to face Matt Hardy to get there, but he’s got WrestleMania on his mind, so he wrote a song. Elias sings his song, but he’s soon cut off by “WOKEN” Matt Hardy.
*Commercial Break*
We’re back and it’s time for the next qualifying match. The announcers have been moved to ringside, right by the timekeepers area.
WOKEN Matt Hardy Vs. Elias
The bell rings, and they lock up. Hardy puts him in the corner and punches before laughing wildly. Hardy starts up some “DELETE” chants, but they quickly die out. Elias hooks a side headlock and takes him down. Hardy fights up and tries to whip him off, but Elias won’t let go. Hardy punches him before hitting a back suplex. Hardy kicks him back and goes for a Side Effect, but Elias elbows out. Hardy sidesteps him and chops away at the chest.
They’ve started building a new commentary table at ringside. Hardy hits a neckbreaker for a two count. Hardy applies a side headlock, but Elias eventually fights out. Elias sends him into the ropes, but Hardy clubs him and goes for a Twist of Fate. Elias pushes him off and viciously clotheslines him down. Elias wildly punches and kicks him down. Elias drags him to the corner and slams his arm into the ring post twice. Hardy holds his arm in pain as we head to the break.
*Commercial Break*
We come back from the break to see Elias working over Hardy’s injured arm. Elias sends him into the ring, but he lowers his head and eats a kick. Elias quickly rips at the arm, but Hardy comes back with some head-butts and a back elbow. Hardy hits a side Russian leg sweep for a two count. Hardy puts him in the corner and starts bouncing him off the three turnbuckles multiple times. Hardy hits a pair of running clotheslines before trying for a bulldog, but Elias shoves him off.
Hardy comes back with an elbow to the neck off the second rope and a Side Effect for a near fall. Bray Wyatt’s video flashes on the screen for a moment, but he’s nowhere to be seen. Hardy looks around confused. Elias takes advantage of the distraction with a rough big boot and the Drift Away for the win!
Winner: Elias
Elias is now a part of the Elimination Chamber to determine who will face Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania. Bray Wyatt’s video flashes again, and he’s shown laughing on the big screen. Hardy furiously looks at him before starting to laugh himself. This really needs to go somewhere.
The Miz is shown in a handheld video interview, which was started on Smackdown Live. Roman Reigns is apparently owed a rematch for the WWE Intercontinental Championship, but he’s owed complete silence when he speaks. When he defends his Intercontinental Championship, he’s owed a standing ovation, which is what Tom Brady will get when he crushes the Eagles. That gets a massive jeer from the crowd!
The Miz will defend the Intercontinental Championship against Roman Reigns, next!
*Commercial Break*
