WWE Monday Night RAW 03 25 2019

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Before the match, Lio Rush cuts a promo. Rush says Balor’s road to WrestleMania goes through them. This isn’t a road Balor wants to be on right now. Balor should have quit while he was ahead. Now he’ll be forced to leave the game like a hot piece of garbage like Rob Gronkowski. The crowd loudly boos that. As much as he’d love to end Balor’s WrestleMania dreams, he’s not medically cleared to compete due to Braun Strowman. Lashley will be teaming up with Jinder Mahal.

If Balor wins, he’ll receive an IC Title shot at WrestleMania
Finn Balor vs. Bobby Lashley and Jinder Mahal

Lashley starts the match and manhandles Balor. Balor sidesteps an avalanche, but he’s soon overwhelmed trying to protect himself from The Singh Brothers and Lio Rush. Lashley clotheslines him to the floor.

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We come back from the break to see Balor trying to fight back, but Lashley stops him. Mahal is tagged in, and Balor dropkicks him. Balor knocks Lashley off the apron and takes down Mahal. Lashley charges the ring, but Balor sweeps the feet and double stomps him. Balor gets Mahal out of the ring despite a distraction attempt by The Singh Brothers. Balor hits a summersault senton on everyone, gets Mahal in the ring, and hits Mahal with the Coup de Grace for the win.

Winner by Pinfall: Finn Balor

Lashley is furious, and he takes down The Singh Brothers. One of the Singh Brothers is annihilated by a vicious spinebuster! Lashley then spears Mahal down and furiously stares at Balor.

Later tonight, we’ll see Kurt Angle take on Samoa Joe in a non-title match.

We see footage from Times Square of Elias strumming his guitar. Elias says many iconic artists have performed on Broadway, but it’ll be nothing compared to what he has in store for WrestleMania. Elias goes to play, but a street musician comes up to him. Elias deems him to have no talent.

Aleister Black makes his entrance. He’ll be in action alongside Ricochet, next.

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Aleister Black and Ricochet vs. The Revival

The two teams immediately start brawling before the match begins. Ricochet dropkicks Scott Dawson down before they take Dash Wilder out. The referee regains order.

Black starts against Wilder. Dawson grabs the leg, and Wilder punches away at Black. Dawson tags in and takes Black down. Dawson uppercuts him before taking him down with a hammerlock. Black fights up and big boots him down. Ricochet tags in, and he leapfrogs Dawson. Black knees Dawson in the midsection, and Ricochet follows up with a low dropkick. Black teases a flip, but lands on his feet. Ricochet nearly misses Wilder with a moonsault block to the floor. Black then hits Dawson with double knees off the apron.

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We come back from the break to see Dawson applying a chin lock to Ricochet. Ricochet fights up, but Dawson scoop slams him down. Ricochet avoids some elbow drops, and Wilder tags in. Ricochet flips in, but The Revival hits him with a double-team suplex for a two count. Dawson tags in, but he lowers his head and eats a kick. Wilder quickly tags in, but Ricochet catches him with a neckbreaker.

Black and Dawson tag in. Black avoids a strike and knocks Wilder off the apron. Black hits a pair of running elbows and kicks him in the head. Black then hits The Revival with a springboard moonsault. Wilder is sent out of the ring. Black viciously strikes away at him for a near fall. Dawson nearly picks up a win after some Wilder interference. Dawson quickly DDTs Black, but Ricochet breaks it up. Wilder tags in, and they send Black to his corner. Ricochet blind tags in. Black hits both members of The Revival with one Black Mass! Ricochet then hits Wilder with the 630 for the win!

Winners by Pinfall: Aleister Black and Ricochet

The Revival make the ring announcer say that they are still the RAW Tag Team Champions.

Later tonight we’ll hear Triple H respond to Batista’s comments from last week.

Drew McIntyre makes his way to the ring. We’ll hear from him, next.

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Drew McIntyre is in the ring. McIntyre says he doesn’t give a damn if they like him, but they will respect him. One week is a long time to wait for an answer. McIntyre is nervous what Roman Reigns’ answer will be to his WrestleMania challenge. McIntyre wants to show a clip from when he attacked Reigns two weeks ago. McIntyre says he could have finished him, but he didn’t.

Replay: Drew McIntyre viciously attacks Reigns with two Claymore Kicks, including one that sent him into the ring post. Last week on RAW, McIntyre challenged Reigns to a WrestleMania match. Reigns may have beat leukemia, but at WrestleMania he’ll never beat him.

McIntyre says he hopes Reigns’ wife or extended family got through his thick skull and told him not to accept the challenge. McIntyre broke up The Shield and exterminated the cockroach that is Dean Ambrose. Last week on RAW, he beat the #1 contender Seth Rollins. McIntyre knows the superstar Roman Reigns has never denied a challenge, but he wants to talk to Joe the husband and father. Hasn’t he put his family through enough? Reigns’ children already had to watch Daddy fight for his life once. Do they need to see it again at WrestleMania when Reigns knows he’s going to lose? A “Roman” chant fires up. McIntyre says he’ll be out here all night until he gets his answer.

Roman Reigns’ music hits, and he comes out to a nice reception from the Boston crowd. Reigns gets in the ring and goes face-to-face with McIntyre. A “Roman” chant lightly picks up in the background. Reigns says, “Roman accepts your challenge…” This next part isn’t from Roman. Reigns tells him to never run his wife about his wife and kids. Reigns then takes him down and punches away at him. Reigns sends him shoulder-first into the ring post, and McIntyre falls out of the ring. Reigns goes outside and sends him into the barricade. Reigns throws him back into the ring, but McIntyre greets him with a low blow! McIntyre gets to his feet while Reigns slowly comes to. McIntyre then crushes Reigns with a Claymore Kick! McIntyre then walks off while Reigns slowly comes to. McIntyre says Reigns should have said no.

Kurt Angle will take on Samoa Joe later tonight. We’ll also hear from Seth Rollins.

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Drew McIntyre is walking backstage when he bumps into Dean Ambrose. Ambrose said he hasn’t been exterminated since he’s still standing here. Ambrose challenges him to one last match… Last Man Standing. McIntyre says he doesn’t know how Ambrose is still standing, but he’ll put him down for good.

Sasha Banks w/ Bayley vs. Natalya w/ Beth Phoenix

Banks quickly takes Natalya down, but Natalya soon floors her and applies a surfboard. Banks gets out and double knees her. Natalya nearly applies a Sharpshooter, but Bank fights out and knocks her out of the ring. Banks hits a hurricanrana on the floor and knees her.

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We come back from the break to see Natalya applying a torture rack to Banks. Banks counters into a roll-up for a two count. Banks knees her in the face, but Natalya soon takes her down by spiking her on her tailbone. Natalya goes to hit the ropes, but Banks trips her and applies the Bank Statement. Natalya screams in pain, but she rolls through and applies a Sharpshooter. Banks screams in pain, but she rolls out of it. Nia Jax and Tamina run in and attack Bayley. Beth Phoenix fights them off. Phoenix lifts Jax up, but Tamina kicks her. Phoenix fights back and clotheslines Jax down. Phoenix then hits Tamina with the Glam Slam. Phoenix and Natalya stand tall and stand on one of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.

No Contest

Video Package: The Hart Foundation will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame: Class of 2019. We go into the arena to see Natalya and Beth Phoenix crying while watching the video. Natalya’s father Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart will be a WWE Hall of Famer. She points to the sky and tries to hold back tears.

Charly Caruso interviews Kurt Angle backstage. Angle says this retirement tour isn’t about hugs and handshakes. Samoa Joe is a challenge, but this will get him ready for Baron Corbin. This is also his last match in Boston. Baron Corbin walks up to him and says the crowd feels sorry for Angle. Angle should have retired 10 years ago. The headlines will read that a former Olympic Gold Medalist will retire in shame. Angle says, “Screw you,” and walks off.

Coming up next, Alexa Bliss will host A Moment of Bliss with Michael Che, Colin Jost, and Braun Strowman as her guests.

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Charly Caruso catches up with Sasha Banks and Bayley backstage. Banks says everyone wants a shot at them, so they’ll grant it at WrestleMania.

Alexa Bliss welcomes everyone to A Moment of Bliss. Ever since she became the host of WrestleMania, the show keeps getting better. For the first time ever, women will main event the show. Is she good or what? Bliss says she’s two weeks away from the biggest moment of her career hosting WrestleMania, but she’s at a crossroads because of this fighting:

Video Package: Braun Strowman’s run-ins with Colin Jost and Michael Che

Bliss says this is a recipe for a PR disaster. She’s hoping this will be a moment of healing. She then introduces Braun Strowman, who comes out looking very angry. She talks about all the things Strowman has done in the past, including flipping an ambulance with Roman Reigns in it and pulling down the RAW set onto Brock Lesnar. She asks what would happen if Colin Jost got those hands. Strowman says he wants to smash Jost’s pasty face.

Bliss introduces Michael Che and Colin Jost live via satellite. Jost says Strowman is looking well. Last time they were on RAW in Philly, he made a dumb mistake and put on a Mets hat. Tonight, he won’t put on a Mets hat. Jost puts a Yankees hat on to loud boos. Che says he respects the hell out of Strowman, but he also crossed the line. Jost isn’t that funny, but he’s a good guy. Jost says he is a good guy. When he put in his Twitter bio that he wants to be a mentor to Strowman, he was being sincere. He went to Harvard, and his parents spent millions of dollars to get him on the women’s tennis team. Jost wants to teach Strowman how to tie his shoes and do his taxes. Jost wants to handle this like adults. Che wants to make this right. Jost says they bought him a car, but he destroyed it. Jost wants his money back plus interest and an autograph from Brock Lesnar… otherwise they won’t come to WrestleMania. Strowman says he has an idea. Strowman challenges Jost to enter the André The Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Either that or he’ll take care of him backstage. Che agrees to put Jost in the match. Jost then enters Che into the battle royal as well.

Strowman tells Bliss to make this official. Bliss says she can’t sacrifice two comedians for his bloodlust. Just kidding. She makes it official. Strowman says if they don’t show up, they’ll walk around New York City for the rest of their lives wondering when they’re going to get these hands.

We go back to outside Madison Square Garden in New York City to see Elias. Elias says he’s sold this place out three times already. His rehearsal would sell more tickets than Billy Joel ever could. Someone gives Elias a quarter thinking he’s a homeless guy. Elias is offended.

Baron Corbin makes his entrance. He’ll be in action, next.

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Baron Corbin vs. Apollo Crews

We join this match in progress. Crews rolls him up three times, but can’t pick up the win. Crews dropkicks him out of the ring, but Corbin soon sends him into the ring post. Corbin slams Crews down for a near fall. Crews comes back with a big boot and sidesteps him to send him into the ring post shoulder-first. Crews hits a step-up enzuigiri and connects with a frog splash for a near fall. Corbin soon connects with End of Days for the win.

Winner by Pinfall: Baron Corbin

Corbin stands over Crews before picking him up and hitting another End of Days. Corbin poses to boos from the crowd before walking off.

We’ll hear from Seth Rollins, next.

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Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte Flair will be on ESPN SportsCenter tomorrow morning. We then see replays of the Beat The Clock Challenge to kick off RAW.

Next week on RAW, Ronda Rousey will team with Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch to take on The Riott Squad.

Seth Rollins makes his way to the ring to a nice reception. Rollins says he and Brock Lesnar are not cut from the same cloth. Still, they’re on the Road to WrestleMania to determine who will lead the business into the future. It’ll either be him or Brock Lesnar. That’s really heavy, but he wants that weight. Rollins wants to carry the burden and be a champion that inspires people. When he was a kid watching WWE, he was inspired by champions like Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Ric Flair, Triple H, and John Cena. Brock Lesnar does not inspire people. It goes without saying that this is the biggest match of his entire career. Rollins has wanted this for a long time, but until recently he didn’t realize how important the match is to the crowd. Yesterday he had an autograph signing in Boston and meeting the people. Every person that came up to him all said the same thing before they left the table: “Please, Seth, please beat Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania.” That hit him hard. He said he’d beat Lesnar and do everything he could, but now he feels like he doesn’t have a choice. Now he has to beat Brock Lesnar. Rollins has to beat Lesnar because he refuses to let him be the champion to define this industry. In 13 days at WrestleMania, he’ll walk to the ring and face that bully Brock Lesnar. What Lesnar doesn’t understand is that with an army behind him, he is unstoppable. Together they’ll march to the gates of Suplex City and burn it down.

“Ladies and gentlemen…” Paul Heyman comes out to the stage to boos from the crowd. Heyman introduces himself and says he traveled all the way to Boston to say, “Thank you.” Heyman thanks Rollins for letting him know that the match at WrestleMania is now a handicap match. It’ll be the reigning, defending, undisputed Universal Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar taking on Seth Rollins and the entire WWE Universe. Heyman likes the odds because their chances of winning are zero. Heyman says Rollins sounds pathetic. Rollins needs their love and admiration. What next? Thoughts and prayers? Heyman says Rollins is undersized, overconfident, and will be beaten, victimized, and conquered with the WWE Universe. He needs their thoughts and prayers. Rollins needs their thoughts and prayers because he doesn’t have a thought on how to beat Lesnar nor a prayer to do so. Heyman doesn’t want Rollins to take it personally, but when Lesnar wins at WrestleMania he wants Rollins to take it personally when he loses with the WWE Universe.

Heyman goes to walk off, but Rollins chases after him. Heyman falls over and starts to scream. Heyman says he’s only an advocate and hope he wins. It was all Lesnar’s idea. Rollins says he’s not asking for thoughts and prayers. He’s here to answer them because they’re going to WrestleMania to beat Brock Lesnar and take the Universal Title. They’re going to march into Suplex City and burn it down. Rollins drops the microphone on Heyman and walks off.

Kurt Angle’s music hits, and he comes out and points at Heyman while saying, “You suck.” Angle will face WWE United States Champion Samoa Joe… next.

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WrestleMania 35 is 13 days away.

WWE United States Champion Samoa Joe makes his entrance. Joe says they have a lot of memories together, but he’s not a sentimental person. Although these scumbag New Englanders want it, it’ll be a cold day before he loses to Angle. It’s WrestleMania season. Superstars around the company are getting ready. Joe has a gift for Angle. A great way to prepare is a nice long sleep. Joe will give that to him right now.

Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe

They go face-to-face, and Joe head-butts him down. Joe stomps him before stomping the chest. Angle fights back, but Joe rakes the eyes. Angle trips while taking a snap suplex from Joe. Angle goes for a German Suplex, but Joe elbows him away. Joe hits a snapmare and kicks him in the spine before dropkicking him in the back. Angle fights back, but Joe sends him out of the ring. Joe then wipes him out with a suicide dive.

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We come back from the break to see Joe take Angle down. Joe powers him to the corner and talks some trash. Joe chops the chest and head-butts him. Joe jabs away at him before hitting the ropes, but Angle catches him with a German Suplex. Angle rolls through and hits two more for a near fall. Angle goes for an Angle Slam, but Joe fights out. Joe hits an inverted atomic drop and big boots him down. Joe quickly follows up with a senton splash for a near fall.

Angle avoids an avalanche in the corner and connects with an Angle Slam for a near fall. Angle grabs the ankle, but Joe kicks him away. Joe quickly floors him with a scoop powerslam for a near fall. Joe puts Angle on the top rope, but Angle kicks him back. Angle hits a missile dropkick and pulls the straps down. Joe gets out of an Angle Slam before head-butting him. Joe goes for a uranage, but Angle fights out. Angle punches him and hits the ropes, but Joe counters into a sleeper hold. Angle fights out and rolls him up for the win. Joe is stunned!

Winner by Pinfall: Kurt Angle

Tomorrow night on Smackdown Live, Kurt Angle will face AJ Styles.

Dean Ambrose is warming up for his Last Man Standing match against Drew McIntyre later tonight.

Triple H makes his entrance. He’ll address Batista’s comments, next.

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Big Show will star in the show “Happy!” this week.

Triple H says it’s crazy that Boston gave him a standing ovation through the entire commercial break. Triple H congratulates Ronda Rousey, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch on being in the main event of this year’s WrestleMania. Every single woman in the locker room played a part in getting here. They’re all a part of it. This was not given – it was earned.

That kind of thing makes him happy. He’s happy that his microphone is dry and the tech guys didn’t give him the one that Batista spit all over two weeks ago. Triple H then attempts to take a letter out of his pocket, but it’s stuck. Triple H yells, “I’m doing a job to the envelope!” It finally comes out. It’s a letter from Batista’s lawyer saying he won’t compete at WrestleMania unless he agrees to one more stipulation. Batista realized that Triple H had Evolution to protect himself. Triple H says of course. Batista also found out that the moon isn’t cheese. Batista says Evolution held him down, but he was Deacon Batista following around D-Von Dudley doing nothing. Batista was so held down he’s a six-time World Champion that couldn’t beat John Cena. Batista said Triple H tried to avoid him, but he did return the phone calls. Batista’s manager wanted Triple H to move the date of WrestleMania to accommodate Batista’s shooting schedule.

Batista said in the letter, “If you would like me to appear then at WrestleMania, you will give me what I want. What I really, really want…” Triple H sings The Spice Girls. Finally, the letter states that Batista wants Triple H’s career on the line. Batista beat up a 70 year old man to get a match at WrestleMania. Triple H agreed to go to MetLife Stadium and face him at WrestleMania, but he still sends this letter. This is another attempt by Batista to quit. Triple H is not going to let Batista quit this time. Triple H will make him stand up to his commitment and make him show up. If Batista believes he’s obsessed with him, he doesn’t really give a crap about him at all. The only thing Triple H is obsessed with is kicking Batista’s ass. If at this point in his career he can’t beat a douchebag like Batista, he has no business in the ring. If Batista wants his career on the line, he’s got it.

Last Man Standing
Dean Ambrose vs. Drew McIntyre

The bell rings, and Ambrose immediately starts punching and kicking away at him. McIntyre quickly knocks him back and chops him down. Ambrose soon fights back and clotheslines him out of the ring. Ambrose comes off the top rope with a flying elbow drop, but he crashes and burns on the floor when McIntyre moves. Ambrose is up at the count of 8. McIntyre then slings him into the barricade.

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We come back from the break to see Ambrose come off the top rope, but McIntyre cracks him in the ribs with a kendo stick. McIntyre continues to viciously hit him with it before digging the end into his face. Ambrose ducks a kendo stick and shoulder blocks him off. Ambrose then hits a suicide dive. Ambrose has a big welt on his midsection. McIntyre appears to be bleeding from his back. Ambrose punches him, but McIntyre quickly hits him with a Glasgow Kiss. McIntyre then pulls the ring apron back and hits a guillotine catapult into the steel structure of the ring. Ambrose somehow gets up, so McIntyre cracks him in the face with the steel steps. Ambrose still gets up at 6.

McIntyre throws him into the ring and grabs a steel chair. McIntyre wedges it in between the top and middle turnbuckle. Ambrose then sends McIntyre into the chair and drops him with Dirty Deeds. Ambrose gets to his feet and looks for the victory. McIntyre gets up at 7, so Ambrose big boots him and punches away at him. Ambrose goes under the ring and grabs a table. Ambrose sets it up in the corner and goes to grab McIntyre. McIntyre quickly picks him up and slams him through the table. McIntyre is looking for the referee to count Ambrose down. Ambrose pulls him up at 8, so McIntyre drops him with the Claymore Kick. The referee counts, but Ambrose is unable to make the count.

Winner: Drew McIntyre

Drew McIntyre celebrates his win while the show comes to an end.