We see a replay of last week when the Street Profits and The Viking Raiders faced-off in a basketball game. The Street Profits then are seen walking through the woods, confident about axe-throwing. That is, until the arrive at the site where Erik and Ivar are in a viking camp with tents, fires, and chanting. The Raiders welcome them and say they have provided the smoke. Dawkins starts to say they don’t mean actual smoke but Ford stops him and says that you have to accept anything an axe-wielding viking offers you. Ivar then shows them how to throw an axe and he hits the bullseye. Ford is ready to just leave but Dawkins says they can do it.
Back in the arena, there are balloons and a red carpet in the ring. Kairi Sane is there and she speaks Japanese, welcoming Asuka to the ring. The RAW Women’s Champion can’t believe the scene Kairi has crafted and talks a lot of Japanese. She says she is so happy for Becky Lynch, and can’t believe she is Champion. Kairi then says tonight is all about Asuka because she has been NXT Women’s Champion, SmackDown Women’s Champion, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion, and now RAW Women’s Champion. A grand slam!
Kairi starts playing a flute but Nia Jax interrupts and she looks angry. Jax says there is nothing to celebrate because Asuka was literally handed the title. Becky is on maternity leave and Asuka lucked her way into a temp job. But it won’t be long until she loses that title. There is only one outcome when they get in the ring, and when she wins there will be a real party. Asuka then clobbers Nia with repeated forearms and a hip attack that knocks her from the ring. Asuka trash talks in Japanese as Nia retreats.
Backstage, Charly interviews King Corbin. She asks if he’s having any doubts considering how successful Drew has been. Corbin says he chose this match. He knows Drew, he carried him for over a year. But he knows McIntyre is dangerous, he beat Brock Lesnar after all. But he’s prone to mistakes, so he will beat him tonight and the next time they’re in the ring will be WrestleMania, where he will be the new WWE Champion. McIntyre was shown watching the promo.
*Commercial Break*
Later tonight we will get the return of the Kevin Owens Show with Zelina Vega and her clientelle.
R-Truth is in the ring. He says that his cousin Pretty Ricky told him Bobby Lashley has been a bad man lately, then shows footage of Lashley attacking him. Truth says he doesn’t want Lashley to put him in Nelson from The Simpsons ever again. But his childhood hero John Cena wouldn’t give up in the face of adversity, and neither will he. Truth then reminds Tom Brady that he will find him, sack him, and win back his 48/7, 7-11, I95 South, 401K Championship.
Bobby Lashley Vs. R-Truth
The match begins and Truth leaves the ring and becomes Pretty Ricky, who begs Lashley for a fight. Bobby runs out and slams him into the barricade. Lashley drags Truth around the ring on his shoulders, and smashes him into the ring post.
Back in the ring, Lashley slaps Truth and tells him to fight. Truth unloads but Lashley drops him with a lariat. Lashley then delivers some knees to the gut and applies a full nelson. He wrings the nelson, then turn it into a slam. He lifts Truth again, applies the full nelson, and Truth taps.
Winner: Bobby Lashley
MVP comes to the stage and applauds Lashley’s efforts. Lana is shown watching on a monitor backstage and she screams bloody murder, throwing things around.
Asuka and Kairi are backstage celebrating but we see Nia standing in the background, watching.
*Commercial Break*
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships
(C) Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross Vs. The IIconics
Billie Kay starts against Alexa Bliss but Peyton Royce quickly tags in. Bliss knocks Kay from the ring, then slams Royce down and hits double knees to the midsection. Cross tags in and hits a flying crossbody, but Kay breaks up the pin.
Cross reverses an Irish whip and avoids a kick from Royce. Kay blind tags in, but Cross sees it and attacks her on the apron. Kay comes back in and hits a suplex for a two count. Bliss tags in and slaps Kay a few times before dropkicking her. Bliss hits Insult To Injury, but Royce breaks up the pin. Cross gets Royce out of the ring.
Kay big boots Cross down but Bliss punches her in the face and sets her into position. Bliss hits Twisted Bliss, but Royce breaks it up. Royce then tosses Bliss into the ring post a few times, so the referee disqualifies them.
Winners Via Disqualification: Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross
That’s the second week in a row a tag match ended in DQ for absolutely no reason. The IIconics are beside themselves with anger and grief.
Kairi Sane is still playing her flute backstage when Nia Jax comes up behind her and slams her into some production boxes.
*Commercial Break*
The IIconics are backstage arguing and Billie slaps Peyton in the face! They both stop and start crying and hug.
We get a lengthy look at Part 2 of The Last Ride, the excellent WWE Network series about The Undertaker. Part 3 drops this Sunday.
A replay of last Monday is shown, in which Shayna Baszler beat Natalya. Baszler and Nattie will be in action again tonight.
We see a doctor icing Kairi Sane and Asuka is concerned. Asuka tells her to stay put, she’s going after Jax.
*Commercial Break*
Jax is walking backstage when Asuka runs up and rants in Japanese. Nia walks past her, so Asuka pulls her by the hair and kicks her in the head.
sUBMISSION mATCH
Natalya Vs. Shayna Baszler
The bell rings and Baszler hits a side-headlock takeover. Nattie shoots her off but gets dropped with a shoulder. Baszler goes for a camel clutch but Natalya avoids it and attempts the Sharpshooter but Shayna counters into an ankle lock. Natalya breaks free and Shayna immediately goes to work on the left arm.
Natalya tries to fight out but Shayna slams her down by the hair. Baszler lifts Nattie’s legs and stomps her gut over and over. Shayna attempts the Sharpshooter, but Natalya counters and applies her own. Baszler crawls to the ropes but they don’t matter in this match, so she uses the apron to pull herself out and free. Natalya hits a baseball slide, then batters Shayna and tosses her back inside.
Natalya goes to a kneebar, but Baszler rolls over and performs an incredible transition into the Kirifuda Clutch and Nattie taps.
Winner: Shayna Baszler
Baszler leaves and the crew starts setting up for the KO Show, but Natalya won’t leave the ring. She kicks the ropes and starts throwing the set-dressing. Samoa Joe says this behaviour is beneath her and what she represents.
Zelina Vega’s men are all arguing backstage again. She stops them and says they are going out there as a cohesive unit. She asks each of them if they understand her and they comply.
*Commercial Break*
