We get a backstage promo from John Cena earlier today. Cena talks about the Rumble, his match tonight, and says that he isn’t done yet, he’s just getting started.
Titus Worldwide is heading to the ring from backstage and up next they get their first title shot against The Bar!
*Commercial Break*
We’re back and out come The Bar to defend their title’s, just one night after they won them back.
Tag Team Championship Match
(C) The Bar Vs. Titus Worldwide W/Dana Broke
Apollo Crews quickly rolls Sheamus up for a two count. Sheamus gets out of the ring and talks strategy with Cesaro. Sheamus elbows and shoulder blocks Crews soon after and hits the ropes. Crews then floors him with a nice dropkick for a one count. Titus O’Neil tags in and sends him into the ropes with Crews for a double-team back elbow. O’Neil punches away at him until Cesaro tags in. Cesaro uppercuts him in the corner a number of times before kicking him. O’Neil quickly lifts him and powers him to the corner before wildly clubbing the chest and throwing him across the ring. O’Neil splashes him in the corner and lets go when Sheamus was trash talking him. Sheamus and blind tags in and ambushes O’Neil.
*Commercial Break*
We come back from the break to see Sheamus clothesline O’Neil and tag Cesaro in. They hit a double-team clothesline for a one count. Cesaro then applies a modified arm bar. O’Neil fights up and tags in Sheamus. Sheamus throws O’Neil over the top rope. Sheamus distracts the referee while Cesaro sneaks up on O’Neil. O’Neil big boots Cesaro down. Sheamus grabs O’Neil, but O’Neil chops him back before pulling him neck-first into the top rope. Sheamus knees him getting in the ring and hits the ropes, but O’Neil clotheslines him down.
Cesaro and Crews are tagged in. Crews hits a pair of clotheslines before kicking and booting him in the face. Cesaro drops him on the apron, but Crews lands and punches him back before hitting a cross-body block for a near fall. Crews goes for a standing moonsault, but lands on his feet when Cesaro moves. Crews takes him down and hits a standing shooting star press for a near fall. Cesaro elbows out of a move and kicks him. Sheamus tags in, but Crews lands on his feet to counter a double-team hip toss. They then botch a hurricanrana. Sheamus basically powerbombs Crews off the ropes and onto his head. Crews no sells the devastation and throws Cesaro out of the ring. Eventually The Bar hits a double-team White Noise for the win.
Winners: The Bar
Still to come is John Cena taking on Finn Balor in an Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match. Coming up next, we’ll look at Ronda Rousey’s debut.
*Commercial Break*
We get a lenghty video package of last night’s Women’s Rumble and Ronda Rousey’s debut.
We see a replay of Braun Strowman tipping the commentary table and its platform onto Kane earlier tonight. Michael Cole says Kane sat up in the emergency room and crawled out. Kane hasn’t been seen since.
Gallows and Anderson make their way to the ring before being followed by Finn Balor. It’s Balor vs. Cena, next.
*Commercial Break*
We return and John Cena makes his way to the ring. This is the last Chamber qualifying match this week, with three more to come next week.
Finn Balor Vs. John Cena
The bell rings, and the crowd is already buzzing. They lock up, and Balor powers him to the corner before tapping the chest. Cena just stares at him. A “Let’s go Balor” chant fires up. Cena just smiles and says, “ok.” Balor goes for a waistlock, but Cena gets out and wrenches the arm. Cena takes him down and works the arm. Balor kips up and takes him down with an arm drag/arm bar combination.
A “Let’s go Cena/Cena sucks” chant fires up now. Cena backs him to the ropes, but Balor comes back with a pair of arm drags and another arm bar. Cena fights up and out. Balor hits the ropes, but Cena shoulder blocks him down. Cena stretches his arm before applying a side headlock. Cena then takes him down. Balor gets out, but Cena hits a second headlock takeover. Cena keeps him grounded, but Balor hooks the arms and turns him over for a pin for a near fall. Cena rolls out of the ring to collect himself.
Cena gets in the ring and locks hands with Balor in a test of strength. The fans are completed distracted by something happening in a section of the arena. They just stay in the test of strength until the crowd eventually starts paying attention again. Balor gets out and rolls him up for a near fall. Cena then punches him down and stares into the crowd again as we head to the break.
*Commercial Break*
We come back from the break to see Cena reverse a whip and knock Balor down. Cena hits a scoop slam for a near fall. Cena viciously whips him into the corner, and Balor collapses to the mat. Cena gets him to his feet and viciously whips him again. The crowd is booing Cena, but he points to the WrestleMania sign and shrugs his shoulders. Cena sends him to the corner, but Balor boots him back. Balor hits a pair of running forearms before taking him down and hitting a double stomp to the chest. Balor chops the chest and whips him to the corner. Cena explodes out of the corner with a pair of running shoulder blocks before hitting a back suplex powerbomb. Cena again points to the WrestleMania sign and goes for the 5 Knuckle Shuffle, but Balor moves. Balor then catches Cena with a falling elbow drop to the chest for a near fall.
Cena picks up him for an AA, but Balor slides off. They get into an exchange of punches that garners cheers and boos from the fans. Cena then just kicks him down. Cena connects with a 5 Knuckle Shuffle with no theatrics and goes for an AA, but Balor gets out and hits an overhead kick for a near fall. Balor surprises him with a Sling Blade and waits for Cena to get up. Balor goes for a running dropkick, but Cena stuns him with a clothesline. Cena takes a few moments to get up and runs into a boot. Cena catches him attempting a Sling Blade and counters into an Attitude Adjustment for a near fall!
Cena looks frustrated. Cena gets on the apron and seems to be getting frustrated with the crowd. Cena says he’s just trying to go to WrestleMania. Cena goes to the top rope, but Balor kicks him down and hits a running dropkick. Balor goes for a Coup de Gras, but Cena moves and applies an STF! Balor eventually claws his way to the bottom rope. Balor catches Cena with a kick to the face before going to the top rope. Cena cuts him off and hits a second rope AA for the win!
Winner: John Cena
John Cena joins Braun Strowman and Elias in the Elimination Chamber match. Cena celebrates on the ropes while Balor walks off holding his lower back. That was a weird match for Cena with a lot of odd moments, but I’d appreciate some story-telling and character progression with him because lately he feels like Jericho did a few years back.
Anyways, that’s it for tonight’s Raw. Let us know what you thought of the show and remember to get all your wrestling coverage here on Ringside News.
