WWE Raw Results
March 22, 2021
St. Petersburg, Florida (Tropicana Field)
Commentary: Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, and Samoa Joe
Results by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
“Then. Now. Forever.” The WWE video leads us into the show.
Non-Title Match
WWE Champion Bobby Lashley w/ MVP vs. Sheamus
Sheamus’ back is still covered in welts from his No Holds Barred match against Drew McIntyre last night.
They lock up at the sound of the bell. Lashley takes Sheamus down with a waistlock and hooks a front facelock. Sheamus powers Lashley to the corner and backs up. Sheamus hooks the arm and wrenches it. Lashley fights up and punches at Sheamus. Sheamus takes him down and stomps away at him. Sheamus clubs Lashley in the spine a few times and goes to lift him, but Lashley elbows him. Lashley connects with a snap suplex before applying a chin lock. Sheamus fights up and elbows out. Sheamus lifts Lashley, but Lashley gets out and hits a neckbreaker for a one count. Lashley goes back to the chin lock. Sheamus fights up, so Lashley drops him on the apron. Sheamus quickly snaps Lashley off the top rope and goes for the 10 Beats of the Bodhrán, but Lashley gets out. Lashley clotheslines him off the apron to the floor.
Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander come down. Alexander distracts the referee while Benjamin clotheslines Sheamus on the floor. Lashley is not happy.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Lashley applying a chin lock to Sheamus. Sheamus starts to fight up and elbows out. Lashley quickly forearms him and sends him into the ropes. Lashley lowers his head and eats a kick. Sheamus charges, but Lashley powerslams him for a two count. Alexander gets on the apron, but Lashley orders him to get down, saying he’s got this in control. Sheamus rolls Lashley up for a two count. Sheamus then sends Lashley into the ring post shoulder-first.
Sheamus hits a pair of running hammers. Lashley quickly elbows him in the face a few times before charging, but Sheamus sidesteps him. Sheamus clubs him on the apron before doing the 10 Beats of the Bodhrán. Sheamus then knocks Lashley to the floor. Sheamus comes off the top rope with a diving clothesline on the WWE Champion! Sheamus gets Lashley in the ring and goes back to the top rope. Sheamus connects with another diving clothesline for a near fall.
Sheamus lifts Lashley, but Lashley slides off and forearms the back. Lashley lifts Sheamus, but Sheamus knees him in the face for a near fall. Lashley pulls himself up and sidesteps a Brogue Kick. Sheamus quickly knocks him back and sets up for the Brogue Kick again, but Alexander grabs Sheamus’ foot. Lashley hits Sheamus with a one-armed spinebuster followed by the Hurt Lock for the submission.
Winner by Submission: WWE Champion Bobby Lashley
Benjamin and Alexander pull Sheamus out of the ring following the match and double-team him with stomps. Drew McIntyre’s music hits, and he runs down to help Sheamus. McIntyre drives Benjamin into the barricade before doing the same to Alexander. McIntyre sends Alexander over the barricade before intimidating Benjamin back. Lashley is not happy with any of the proceedings in the ring.
McIntyre gets in the ring, so Lashley stares at him and raises up the WWE Championship. MVP stands between them, trying to keep order. MVP tells Lashley to save it for WrestleMania. Lashley is fired up, but he reluctantly listens to MVP and backs off. McIntyre smirks in the ring.
Randy Orton promises to summon The Fiend later tonight.
-Commercial Break-
The Hurt Business are backstage. MVP says Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin embarrassed themselves tonight and, by proxy, the All Mighty WWE Champion. MVP tells them to think about what they did and walks off with Bobby Lashley.
Video Package: The feud between Randy Orton and The Fiend
Randy Orton will summon The Fiend later tonight.
Raw Women’s Champion Asuka makes her way to the ring. She’ll face Peyton Royce, next.
-Commercial Break-
Footage is shown of Asuka beating down Shayna Baszler last week on Raw. We also see footage of Peyton Royce demanding a chance on Raw Talk two weeks ago.
Non-Title Match
Raw Women’s Champion Asuka vs. Peyton Royce
The bell rings, and they lock up. They trade headlocks. Asuka slingshots over Royce and dances around. Asuka sends her into the ropes and follows her in for a shoulder block. Royce reverses a whip and does a sunset flip, but Asuka rolls through. Royce avoids a kick and takes Asuka down. Asuka kicks Royce back and gets an arm bar. Royce fights out and applies a knee bar. Asuka kicks out of the submission. Royce clubs away at Asuka and hits a clothesline for a two count. Royce is sent into the top turnbuckle and dropped to the apron. Asuka connects with a back fist. Asuka tries for a hip attack, but Royce moves and snaps her off the ropes to the floor.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see both women down. They get to their feet. Asuka hits a hip attack and a German Suplex. Asuka follows up with a knee to the face for a near fall. Royce fights back and slams her with a Gory Special for a two count. Asuka fights back, ducking a spin kick and connecting with a facebuster for a near fall. Asuka puts Royce on the top rope, but Royce knocks her down to the mat. Royce comes off the top rope with a double stomp to the back for a near fall. Royce is distraught.
Royce is frustrated, kicking the bottom rope and arguing with the referee. Asuka kicks her down and goes for an arm bar. Royce fights out of it, but Asuka applies the Asuka Lock for the win.
Winner by Submission: Raw Women’s Champion Asuka
All of a sudden, Rhea Ripley’s music hits. Ripley makes her entrance and gets in the ring with the Raw Women’s Champion.
Ripley says Asuka is one of the greatest Women’s Champions in WWE history. Asuka has proven her point. Last Ripley saw, Charlotte Flair was challenging for the Raw Women’s Championship while Asuka was recovering from having her teeth knocked out. Now Charlotte Flair isn’t here. She’s recovering from COVID. Ripley says she’s going to need an answer. On her first official night on Raw, she challenges Asuka to a championship match at WrestleMania!
Asuka shouts in Japanese and laughs. Asuka then says Ripley is not ready for her. Asuka says, “Rhea Ripley… I accept.” Asuka dances around while Ripley smiles.
Drew McIntyre is walking backstage when WWE Official Adam Pearce walks up to him. Pearce doesn’t understand why McIntyre came to Sheamus’ defense after they destroyed each other over the past few weeks. Pearce says Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin want a 2-on-1 Handicap Match against McIntyre, but it’s not sensible. McIntyre says he can make it sensible. Bobby Lashley did whatever it took to win the title and will do whatever it takes to keep it. If McIntyre beats them, they’re banned from ringside at WrestleMania. Pearce agrees to it.
WWE production crew are setting the ring up for Miz TV. That’s next.
-Commercial Break-
WrestleMania is 19 days away.
Footage is shown of Rhea Ripley challenging Asuka to a Raw Women’s Championship match at WrestleMania 37.
It’s official: Asuka will defend the Raw Women’s Championship against Rhea Ripley.
Miz TV with The Miz and John Morrison
The Miz and John Morrison make their way to the ring for Miz TV. The Miz says he’s been going through a trying time. The last thing he needed was to be laughed at and ridiculed by Damian Priest and Bad Bunny. Morrison says it was without provocation as well. Miz says Bad Bunny has had a lot of success, including Grammys. Morrison says Bad Bunny is one of the most famous people on the planet right now. Miz asks Bad Bunny who he thinks he is. Bad Bunny waltzes around here, coming in at Royal Rumble and staying on. It’s one thing to do special performances. It’s another to constantly hang onto Damian Priest and show zero respect toward Miz.
Miz says he is a two-time Grand Slam Champion. Who else in the history of WWE is a two-time Grand Slam Champion? Morrison says not John Cena, Brock Lesnar, or the Undertaker. Miz is the only two-time Grand Slam Champion in the history of this company. Miz has been the backbone of this company for 15+ years. Morrison is a multi-time champion, yet they still don’t get the respect they deserve.
The WrestleMania poster is shown. Bad Bunny is on it, but The Miz and John Morrison are not. Morrison says they have a combined 30 years of experience and have more titles than fingers and toes, yet Bad Bunny is featured. This is the most significant poster of the WWE year and they’re not on it. Last week was the last straw. Bad Bunny wanted his attention and got it with a whole lot more.
Footage is shown of The Miz hitting Bad Bunny in the back with Elias’ guitar.
Morrison says that was a smash hit. Miz says that should be a lesson to not just Bad Bunny, but to anyone from any genre thinking they can do what they do. Morrison says Bad Bunny has hopped back down to his rabbit hole. Miz says those that love them will enjoy this announcement. Next week on the Dirt Sheet, they’ll have their world premiere of “Hey Hey, Hop Hop” on Raw. A sneak peek is shown of a ridiculous music video with Miz and Morrison in bunny suits.
Bad Bunny may be on top of his world, but this is their domain. Miz then challenges Bad Bunny to a match at WrestleMania. Miz will not just end his musical career… he’ll end his career, period. If they want a sneak peek of WrestleMania, they should watch his match against Jeff Hardy right now.
Jeff Hardy makes his entrance. He’ll be in action against The Miz, next.
-Commercial Break-
Before the match begins, Jeff Hardy says he knows how this goes. The Miz will get in trouble and then John Morrison gets involved. Miz can’t beat him without Morrison. Miz then sends Morrison to the back.
The Miz vs. Jeff Hardy
The bell rings, and they lock up. Hardy quickly begins bouncing Miz off all four corners, taking him down. Hardy hits a sit-out jawbreaker and hits the ropes, but Miz big boots him down. Miz stomps away at him and hits a running boot to the head for a two count. Hardy fights up and punches him back. Miz reverses a whip into the ropes and turns Hardy inside out with a knee to the midsection. Miz shouts that he is the man. Miz knees Hardy in the spine twice before elbowing him in the chest and applying a chin lock. Hardy fights up and connects with a spin kick. Hardy blocks a right hand and punches away at Miz. Miz reverses a whip, but Hardy hits a clothesline. Hardy hits an inverted atomic drop, double leg drop to the midsection, a low dropkick, and a splash for a two count.
Hardy has a whip to the corner reversed, but Hardy boots him down. Hardy comes off the second rope with a splash for a near fall. Hardy goes for a Twist of Fate, but Miz spins out of it and sends Hardy into the post. Miz follows up with the Skull Crushing Finale for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: The Miz
The Miz celebrates in the ring until Bad Bunny sneaks up from behind and crushes him with a guitar to the back. Bad Bunny then walks off up the ramp. Bad Bunny has a microphone and is breathing heavily. Bunny says, “You know what? I accept your challenge, bitch! I will see you at WrestleMania.”
AJ Styles and Omos are walking backstage. WWE United States Champion Riddle drives by on his scooter and says hello to the “skipper.” Styles says he is not the team captain anymore. It’s a Survivor Series reference. Styles wants to embarrass The New Day.
-Commercial Break-
It’s official: The Miz will face Bad Bunny at WrestleMania 37.
Footage is shown of Omos slamming Xavier Woods over the barricade last month on WWE Raw.
AJ Styles and Omos make their way to the ring. Styles says Omos is going to make his in-ring debut at WrestleMania for The New Day’s Raw Tag Team Championship. Omos is going to slam them through the ring. There will be two holes in the ring. They will be buried. With Styles’ athletics and Omos’ power, they can’t lose.
Raw Tag Team Champions The New Day make their way to the ring. Kofi Kingston asks if Styles really said he and Omos would really beat them for the WWE Raw World Tag Team Championships. Xavier Woods says they mentioned they would bury them like in that Boneyard Match. Kingston says in order to win the titles, one has to be a team. Kingston does not see a team. They see a wee man trying to overcompensate. Styles isn’t happy. Woods tells Omos that Styles will bring him down.
Kingston says Styles doesn’t know Omos. Kingston asks what is Omos’ favorite color. Styles says it’s red, but Omos says it’s mauve. Styles thinks his favorite ice cream is vanilla bean, but Omos likes peanut butter caramel. They ask who Omos’ favorite WWE Superstar is. Styles says it’s got to be him. Omos says his favorite is André the Giant. How can they be a team if Styles doesn’t know Omos likes mauve. Styles tells Kingston to get in the ring so he can kick his butt because AJ rocks.
-Commercial Break-
Eric Bischoff is the latest inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame: Class of 2021.
AJ Styles w/ Omos vs. Raw Tag Team Champion Kofi Kingston w/ Xavier Woods
They lock up, and Kingston hooks a side headlock. Kingston has Styles grounded, but Styles fights up and tries to whip him off. Kingston hangs on and takes Styles down. Styles fights up, but Kingston still keeps the headlock hooked. Styles finally gets out and applies a side headlock of his own. Kingston whips him off, but Styles shoulder blocks him down. Kingston quickly comes back with a back elbow for a two count. Kingston punches Styles to the corner and takes him down. Styles fights back with an elbow to the head of Kingston and knocks him out of the ring. Styles goes for a plancha, but lands on the apron when Kingston scrambles into the ring. Kingston then forearms Styles down. Kingston then catches Styles with a monkey flip for a two count. Styles reverses a whip to the corner, but Kingston springboards off with a dropkick. Kingston follows up with a scissor cover for a two count. Kingston then dropkicks him out of the ring.
Styles pulls Kingston out of the ring, but Kingston forearms him down. Styles quickly hits a throat thrust and sends Kingston headfirst into the ring steps. Xavier Woods comes over, but Omos gets in his face.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Styles take Kingston down. Styles applies a chin lock and keeps Kingston grounded. Kingston fights up and hits a flying forearm. Kingston shoulder blocks him down and hits a clothesline. Kingston dropkicks him before hitting a leaping clothesline. Kingston connects with a Boom Drop and gets fired up. Woods plays the trombone. Kingston goes for Trouble in Paradise, but Styles counters with a spin kick of his own.
Styles charges Kingston in the corner, but Kingston catches him with a pendulum kick. Kingston pulls himself to the top rope, but Styles cuts him off. Styles goes for a superplex, but Kingston hits a front suplex off the ropes. Kingston then hits Styles with a splash as he was getting to his feet. Kingston covers for a near fall. Kingston sets up for SOS, but Styles counters into a Calf Crusher. Kingston yells in pain, but he makes it to the bottom rope. Styles goes for a knee breaker, but Kingston counters into a roll-up for a near fall. Styles immediately takes him down with a dropkick to the knee. Styles goes to the apron and signals for the end. Styles goes for a Phenomenal Forearm, but he stumbles when Woods scares him with a blare from the trombone. Omos scares Woods back. Kingston then counters the Phenomenal Forearm into the SOS for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Raw Tag Team Champion Kofi Kingston
Sheamus is walking backstage when Kevin Patrick interviews him. Sheamus is asked why he accepted a challenge from the WWE Champion after going through a war last night. Sheamus says he loves a fight. This guy should know that. Sheamus is asked about Drew McIntyre coming to his rescue. McIntyre respects him, but Sheamus didn’t need him. WWE United States Champion Riddle rolls around on his scooter, circling Sheamus and asking about the Loch Ness Monster. Sheamus takes the scooter and looks at it before hitting Riddle with it.
Drew McIntyre makes his way to the ring. The challenger at WrestleMania for the WWE Championship will be in action against Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander, next.
-Commercial Break-
2-on-1 Handicap Match
Drew McIntyre vs. The Hurt Business (Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander)
If Drew McIntyre wins, Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander are barred from ringside at WrestleMania 37.
Drew McIntyre starts against Shelton Benjamin. McIntyre immediately takes him down and hits a suplex. Cedric Alexander taunts McIntyre, so McIntyre brings him in the ring the hard way and hits a WILD back body drop.
Benjamin grabs a waistlock on McIntyre, but McIntyre powers out. McIntyre drops Benjamin with a clothesline before stomping the hand. McIntyre bounces Benjamin off the top turnbuckle before whipping him across the ring. Benjamin elbows him back and hits some punches. Benjamin sends McIntyre hard to the corner, but McIntyre pops out of the corner and hits a clothesline. McIntyre sets up for a Claymore Kick, but Alexander pulls Benjamin out of the ring to save him. McIntyre goes outside and sends Benjamin into the ring post before dropping him on the barricade.
McIntyre gets Benjamin in the ring and attacks him for a two count. Alexander blind tags in and chop blocks McIntyre. Benjamin then hits a running knee to send McIntyre out of the ring. Alexander quickly fires back with a suicide dive. Alexander landed badly on his ankle. Benjamin and Alexander send McIntyre into the barricade.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Benjamin knee McIntyre in the face for a two count. The Hurt Business hits a double-team throw/knee combo for a near fall. Alexander elbows away at the small of the back. Alexander then applies a chin lock. Benjamin tags in and viciously punches away at McIntyre. Benjamin continues to attack until McIntyre wipes him out with a Glasgow Kiss.
Alexander soon tags in, and McIntyre clotheslines him down. McIntyre hits a pair of overhead belly-to-belly suplexes. McIntyre crushes Benjamin with a Future Shock DDT before hitting a neckbreaker on Alexander. McIntyre kips up and sets up for the end. The very fake sounding “Drew” chant plays in the ThunderDome. McIntyre hits Benjamin with a Claymore Kick. Alexander attacks McIntyre, but McIntyre absolutely ANNIHILATES him with a Claymore Kick for the win! Benjamin and Alexander are banned from ringside at WrestleMania!
Winner by Pinfall: Drew McIntyre
Randy Orton will summon The Fiend later tonight.
-Commercial Break-
MVP is admonishing Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin backstage. WWE Champion Bobby Lashley storms in and says since they can’t get the job done, he’ll find somebody who will. Lashley walks into the locker room with the WWE 24/7 jobbers. Lashley says if any of them can take Drew McIntyre, he’ll give them a shot at the WWE Championship.
Lana and Naomi are on commentary.
Non-Title Match
Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke vs. WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler w/ Reginald
Nia Jax is infatuated with Reginald, upsetting Shayna Baszler. Rose attacks Baszler from behind to start the match. Brooke tags in, but Baszler soon takes her down. Baszler goes for a Kirifuda Clutch, but Rose dropkicks her. Nia Jax tags in, but Brooke stuns her with a kick. Brooke hits a handspring back elbow, but Jax soon takes her down with a clothesline. Reginald gets in the ring and does a flip for Jax. Jax loves it. Brooke chop blocks Jax and tags Rose in. Rose hits a facebuster and attacks Baszler. Rose hits Jax with a knee to the face for a two count. Baszler pulls Rose off the apron as Brooke tags in. Reginald gets on the apron, angering Rose. Baszler takes Rose out at ringside. Jax hits Brooke with a Samoan Drop for the win.
Winners by Pinfall: WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler
Lana and Naomi unenthusiastically say they want a rematch on commentary.
Alexa Bliss, with a ton of eye makeup on and some contacts, is on a swing backstage. She tells Randy Orton to be careful what he wishes for.
-Commercial Break-
Footage is shown of Shane McMahon supposedly being injured before WWE Fastlane. McMahon had Elias replace him in a match against Braun Strowman. Strowman easily won.
Elias, Jaxson Ryker, and Shane McMahon are in the ring. McMahon says it’s a shame he got injured because he was going to wipe the floor with Strowman. McMahon had Elias replace him, but he disappointed. Elias tries to defend himself, but McMahon warns him not to cut him off. Now Elias has time to prepare. They also wrote a song called, “Braun is Stupid.” They sing lyrics about how stupid Braun Strowman is.
Braun Strowman comes out and says it doesn’t matter if McMahon has a peg leg… nothing will stop the ass kicking he’s going to get. As for Elias, he’ll be hearing the song, “The Man Who Got These Hands.”
-Commercial Break-
Footage is shown of The Rock defeating Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania X-8.
Hulk Hogan and Titus O’Neil will host WrestleMania in three weeks.
Elias w/ Jaxson Ryker and Shane McMahon vs. Braun Strowman
Strowman immediately attacks Elias at the sound of the bell and throws him down. Strowman sends him hard into the corner before hitting a nasty forearm to the chest. Strowman stands on Elias in the corner and stares at Shane McMahon. Strowman whips Elias hard into the corner and stares at McMahon again. Strowman kicks Elias in the ribs and chokes him on the ropes. Elias is knocked out of the ring, and McMahon backs up. Strowman boots Elias in the face before putting him in the ring. Strowman stares at McMahon as he gets in the ring. Elias hits a running knee to the face and stomps Strowman down in the corner. Elias charges, but Strowman hits a horrible dropkick. Strowman then knocks Ryker off the apron. Strowman goes outside and a train whistle is heard. No joke. Strowman runs over Ryker and Elias with shoulder blocks. Strowman gets Elias in the ring and hits a Running Powerslam for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Braun Strowman
McMahon cracks Strowman in the back with the crutch, but Strowman doesn’t feel it. McMahon runs away, showing that his knee was fine the whole time. Strowman says he’ll end this. Is McMahon man enough to face him one-on-one? Strowman wants McMahon at WrestleMania. McMahon says, “I accept, Braun. Any match that you want. I’m gonna win. You know why? Because you are stupid.”
Randy Orton is walking backstage. He’ll summon The Fiend, next.
-Commercial Break-
The commentators announce some of the matches we’ll see on the two-night WrestleMania.
On Night One of WrestleMania on April 10, the following matches will take place:
— WWE Championship: Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Drew McIntyre
— SmackDown Women’s Championship: Sasha Banks (c) vs. Bianca Belair
— Bad Bunny vs. The Miz
On Night Two of WrestleMania on April 11, the following matches will take place:
— WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Edge
— Raw Women’s Championship: Asuka (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
Randy Orton summons The Fiend
Randy Orton makes his way to the ring holding a bag. Orton places it down and grabs a microphone. Orton says it seems like it was just yesterday that he was standing in this ring after watching The Fiend burn. After he dropped that match, he watched The Fiend burn alive. Orton didn’t finish the job because at Fastlane, he could smell burnt flesh. Orton doesn’t know exactly what he saw last night, but it was an abomination. Tonight, he’ll finish the job. After tonight, there will be no more mind games, Alexa Bliss, or Fiend. After tonight, the bullshit comes to an end.
Alexa Bliss comes out to the stage holding a Jack-in-the-Box. She tells him to be careful what he wishes for. She winds up the box and the lights start to go out.
The ring posts explode, and The Fiend is standing behind Orton. Orton turns and sees him. Orton kneels down and grabs the bag. Inside is a gas can. Orton takes off the cap, cautiously approaches The Fiend, and sprays some gas on him. The Fiend doesn’t flinch. Orton continues to douse him with gasoline. Orton takes out a box of matches and goes to light one. The Fiend takes a step forward, so Orton drops him with an RKO.
Alexa Bliss angrily gets in the ring and stares at Orton. Orton stares back. The Fiend then gets to his feet. The Fiend applies the Mandible Claw to Orton before connecting with Sister Abigail. Bliss skips in the ring and points at the WrestleMania sign. They pose as fireballs explode in the ThunderDome.
It’s official: Randy Orton will face The Fiend at WrestleMania.