Deadman Starts the show
“AJ Styles. Or should I say, Allen Jones.” If we’re getting real, let’s get real. And for such a small man, you’ve got a big mouth, AJ. Styles either has a “big set,” or is just stupid. But Styles’ mouth is writing checks his body can’t cash. Taker’s heard worse from far greater. There are some truths to what Styles said, admittedly. Styles said 10 years ago or so, he wouldn’t want to try the Dead Man. “You damn right you wouldn’t want to.” Styles was content to being the big fish in a little pond, because he couldn’t hang with Taker, Stone Cold, The Rock, HBK, HHH, Kurt Angle, Mick Foley, Eddie Guerrero, Booker T, Edge, “the very best this business had to offer.” Phenomenal mah ass! Styles waited until they were all gone, except Taker.
Taker admits he has more behind him than in front of him. But “Allen” has stepped into something. Styles’ pride made foolish decisions for him. The things Styles said are “Just business.” But Styles crossed the line when he mentioned Michelle. Styles pride is playing games. Maybe Styles is jealous that Michelle’s Faith Breaker, the same move as the Styles Clash, is better. But whatever the reason, Styles will pay the price for disrespecting Taker’s wife. And he will pay in the Boneyard. “Remember? That was your idea.” IF Styles wants to be relevant at the Showcase of the Immortals, who better than The Undertaker. “Try me. I”ll make you famous.”
And be sure to bring “those two ass clowns,” Gallows & Anderson, too. All three of The OC will feel the wrath “of the unholy trinity I’m bringing with me.” They will feel the pain, they will get hurt, and they will suffer. But most importantly, they will… REST, IN, PEACE…! The camera zooms out to show that Taker already has a headstone for Styles. Will the Phenom end the Phenomenal One this WrestleMania Weekend?
Segment Review: WOW! Just WOW! This might be the best Undertaker promo ever. It was a smart move to keep this segment as RAW as possible (see what i did there). Calling AJ Allen Jones was a brilliant move. The promo writer deserves a raise. Deadman took shots at AJ Style’s TNA career indirectly. It was a little lame to compare Michelle’s Faith Breaker with Styles Clash but the promo made sure we all look forward to their Wrestlemania Match. Deadman is special. I just wished for a crowd while he delivered the best promo of his lifetime. This promo is a treat and could be viewed on the WWE Network.
BECKY LYNCH PROMO
We return from commercial with the Raw Women’s Champion out and reminds us that last year at WrestleMania she faced two champions in one night. She says that she made a lot of bold predictions and talked a lot of trash, and she has been walking that razor blade lifestyle ever since.
Becky then tells us to take a look at that, and the full WWE WrestleMania 35 main event is shown as Becky Lynch competes against Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair.
After the full match is shown, Becky Lynch is still waiting and she says since then a lot of people have tried to take her title. Shayna Baszler thinks she is different, and Becky agrees that if she lost her title it would destroy her. She admits she doesn’t know who she is without being champion anymore.
However, Becky knows about Shayna’s demons as well as she walks around with her low voice and her cage fighting background. However, Lynch believes she is starting to get to her, and she wants to win and do the one thing that Ronda Rousey could never do, which is Shayna’s demon. For once, she would steal Ronda’s spotlight.
Or, she loses and gets put back in Ronda’s shadow. However, as Becky continues to talk Shayna Baszler appears from behind and locks in her submission and then bounces her head off the announce table. Baszler then grabs Becky and swings her head-first into the table as she goes and grabs the title, throwing it down onto Becky.
Segment Review: Now Becky made this personal too. Bringing in Ronda’s reference was a nice way to make this rivalry interesting. It was a right move to end the segment with Baszler attaching Becky Lynch from behind. Will Becky retain? We will find out in less than a week.
ALEISTER BLACK vs JASON CADE
It is finally time for the first match of the night as Aleister Black is in action and straight away Jason Cade takes the fight to Black, but he is unable to connect. Black drops Cade down and then hits his sitting pose, and as Cade tries to rush him with a kick, Black simply catches it.
While Cade manages to rock Black with a kick to the head, his follow up attempt is simply swatted away as he connects with Black Mass to get a routine victory.
Winner: Aleister Black
Match Review: 0.5/5 Another quash and another short match for Aleister Black. Give him a rivalry WWE. Give him.
Prior to the match, Zelina Vega announces that Andrade has suffered a serious injury to his ribs and is no longer medically able to compete. Because of that, she has picked up the hottest former free agent available…Austin Theory!
KEVIN OWENS & THE STREET PROFITS vs SETH ROLLINS, ANGEL GARZA, & AUSTIN THEORY
Austin Theory kickstarts the match after Seth Rollins tags him in, and while he shoves Kevin Owens early he is quickly made to pay for that as KO unloads on him in the corner. The Street Profits tag in and continue to dominate as Angel Garza attempts to help his partner, only to be dropped onto him. As they spill outside, Montez Ford flys over the ropes to take both men down.
As we return from the break, Angel Garza gains control for his team as he pulls off his pants, throwing them at Montez Ford. Theory then returns to the ring and keeps in control of Ford with a big dropkick. However, Ford tags in his partner and catches Theory with a big splash and he runs through Garza on the outside.
Dawkins then charges through Austin Theory as well but he doesn’t know Seth has tagged in and he levels his opponent with a superkick. Austin then returns to the action as he and Garza make frequent tags to wear down Dawkins.
Seth then gets back involved, connecting with a sling blade, but his superkick attempt is reversed as Dawkins catches his foot and drops Seth with a huge right hand. Owens finally tags in but Seth Rollins flees the ring and instead, KO takes out his anger on Angel Garza.
KO takes down Garza, hits a senton, a cannonball and then another senton, this time from the top rope. Ford then gets back involved and leaps over the top rope to the outside with a very rough landing to the floor. However back in the ring KO hits a stunner to Garza and gets the win.
Winners: Kevin Owens & The Street Profits
Match Review: 2.5/5. Decent match similar to last week and the week before. These tag team matches are in a repeat mode week after week. We need a change of script here. Happy to see Austin Theory debuting on main roster. Don’t throw him in the lower midcard Vince.
However, the celebration lasts just seconds for Owens as Seth Rollins hits the ring and connects with a Stomp to his WWE WrestleMania 36 opponent.
KO SENDS ROLLINS A WARNING
After the match, Kevin Owens gets on the microphone and says he thinks Seth just kicked some sense into him. He says he has been thinking a lot about what he said last week and after what just happened, he has a lot to say.
KO reflects on what Rollins said last week in regards to the fact the WWE PC was built on Seth’s back, but Owens has heard otherwise. He says it was built despite of Rollins, as he has heard that Seth was a nightmare to deal with. He knew everything and he was better than everyone else and nobody could stand him.
KO says that Seth has done an outstanding job at proving everyone right who calls Seth an arrogant dipshit. KO says he is well aware of his reputation and the path he has chosen, but the difference is he’s not delusional. Kevin then comments on Seth calling himself a god at WrestleMania while he is a disappointment.
Kevin says while he was at home thinking, he might not have those WrestleMania moments, but he can claim all the same accolades that Seth can. He says all the accomplishments he had, he didn’t get on his own. KO says he had someone watching his back for each of his titles.
However, so did Seth. He says that none of Seth’s WrestleMania moments was achieved on his own, and he says that he should be proud of them, but Seth should be honest with himself. Kevin says on Saturday, neither of their pasts matter, the only thing that matters is that it is them finally one on one. KO says he will show Seth he isn’t a prophet or a god, as he beats him and takes his first WrestleMania moment from Rollins.
Segment Review: Good development to the rivalry. Kevin Owens is goat. Hoping for a 20 minute brawl between Rollins and Kevin 3:16 at Mania. Kevin Owens was successful in countering Seth’s promo with some really intense rebuttals.
EDGE ANSWERS RANDY ORTON
Edge is shown backstage responding to Randy Orton’s comments last week. He agrees that Adam Copeland is a junkie for Edge, but it’s not an ego thing, it’s the explosion when his music hits and the connection he shares with the audience because he came from them.
He says that everyone is a junkie for this, and if you’re not then you are just taking space. Edge says they have different definitions of the word grit, to Orton it seems to be handpicked by Evolution, resting on the laurels of his family name and coasting. He says Orton has been okay, which for him is better than most and that’s a Hall Of Fame career.
But to him, grit is someone who reaches down in the hole and pulls someone out who doesn’t deserve it, grit is not being in Evolution because he doesn’t want to be someones, Lackie. It’s thinking about coming back every day for nine years to end this on your own terms.
Edge says he was mistaken when he said Orton is jealous of him, but he isn’t. Instead, Edge says Orton is jealous of his passion and Orton doesn’t, as he only has it when he is around. Everyone is talking about how this is the best Orton has ever been, and the last time he scratched being this good was nine years ago.
He says Orton doesn’t know what to do with that and he says that the voices in Orton’s head can’t handle it and they told him to make a horrible mistake. Edge says Orton almost had him believing that the Rumble was enough for him.
However, then Orton touched his wife and mentioned his girls which pulled him back in. He points out he is a man who will dive into a table of fire with a body full of thumbtacks just to grab the torch that Orton took for granted.
Segment Review: Edge was on fire. He hasn’t lost touch with the mic. I wish there was a crowd in the back. They’d have been loud and supportive for Adam. Never the less, this match could be the match of the year candidate if the brawl is fast and it doesn’t drag too long.
ASUKA vs KAYDEN CARTER
Before the match, Asuka gets on the microphone and asks Kayden “who are you?” She cuts her usual crazy promo and ends it claiming nobody is ready for Asuka.
When the match begins Kayden starts out strong with a dropkick, but it doesn’t take long for Asuka to gain control with a hip attack. However, the WWE NXT Superstar continues fighting back with a few roll-up attempts but Asuka uses the ankle lock to transition into a German suplex.
Asuka then delivers an amazing strike to the head which is followed up by the Asuka Lock to secure the win.
Winner: Asuka
Match Review: 1.5/5 Good to see Kayden’s debut. Short match. Asuka is directionless and I am desperately looking for what’s next for her.
RHEA RIPLEY IS HERE
We are shown footage of Rhea Ripley arriving earlier today as Charlotte Flair appears from behind and simply boots her into the shutters, telling the “rookie” she will see her at WrestleMania.
We are then shown the full match from WWE Survivor Series 2019 between Brock Lesnar and Rey Mysterio for the WWE Championship.
PAUL E IS HERE DANGEROUSLY
When we return to the ring Paul Heyman and the Beast are in the ring addressing the WWE WrestleMania 36 match. Paul Heyman says this is the most unique WrestleMania of our lifetimes as we are all living through such a unique time together.
Paul reveals this is the go-home segment for the go-home show and he says if you look back at past years the person who is in this spot the most it is Brock Lesnar. That’s because he is the one to beat on the biggest show of the year.
Paul says this year, Drew McIntyre has stepped up, and he is that special, compared to the guy in the street, to the guy in the gym, compared to the locker room. He says The Rock was special, but he got laid out by Brock. He says Hulk Hogan was special, but his blood was wiped across Brock Lesnar’s chest.
Paul names more names both in MMA and wrestling who were special who all fell down against the Beast. They all ended up not being so special, but instead, they became Brock’s bitch. Heyman points out the Rock Bottom, the Leg Drop, the Chokeslam, the Tombstone were all special, like the Claymore. However, on the day, they never mattered.
Paul says now that Brock knows the move is coming, Brock has either mastered a strategy to avoid it, or he will eat the Claymore Kick and we will find out if it’s good enough to keep Brock down. Paul Heyman now has not a spoiler, but an absolute guarantee.
He says next year in this segment, Brock Lesnar will be in this segment with the WWE Championship where he will talk about how Drew McIntyre was beaten FUGLY, by Brock Lesnar. Pal says that at WrestleMania, Drew McIntyre will walk in special, but will walk out as Brock’s bitch.
Segment Review: Paul Heyman is still one of the best promo guy in WWE. If Drew doesn’t win this rivalry I will be disappointed.
Monday Night Raw Review: 6.5/10
- Promo heavy raw with The Undertaker starting the episode. He delivered arguably the best promo of his life.
- Becky Lynch’s rivalry just became more interesting with Ronda reference.
- Asuka is still directionless.
- Black is still directionless.
- Edge Vs Orton could headline Wrestlemania. It is one of the best built match in recent times.
- If McIntyre loses, I will be extreme disappointed.
- Kevin Owens countered Seth Rollins excellently.
TOP 3 Stars of the show
- The Undertaker (Promo)
- Edge (Promo)
- Kevin Owens (Match+Promo)
Paul Heyman was perfect on Mic as usual.
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