WWE RAW aired live from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Damian Priest defended the US Title against AJ Styles tonight. It was the final episode of RAW before WWE Elimination Chamber this weekend. In addition to the takeaways below, Dana Brooke rejected Reggie tonight but Reggie wound up leaving as the new 24/7 Champion.
RAW Results
- Street Profits def. Dirty Dawgs (Roode & Ziggler)
- Damian Priest def. AJ Styles to retain the US Title
- Omos def. Hurt Business
- Bianca Belair won the Gauntlet match to enter the Elimination Chamber match last
- American Alpha def. The Mysterios
- Seth Rollins def. Randy Orton
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Brock Lesnar Sent A Message Ahead Of Elimination Chamber
WWE Champion Bobby Lashley made his way to the ring with MVP to kick off this week’s show. Lashley claimed he was going to win the Elimination Chamber and enter WrestleMania 38 as champion.
Seth Rollins interrupted and told Lashley that he will not be champion for long and claimed that he is the only one in the Elimination Chamber match that can beat Lashley.
Riddle joined the party and was wearing a toga. Riddle said it would be cool to win the WWE Championship at Elimination Chamber and win the RAW Tag Team Championships back with Randy Orton. Riddle invited everyone to the toga party later on the show.
Austin Theory interrupted and said that he cannot let Vince McMahon down. AJ Styles quickly interrupted and told Theory that he’s had his lips on Vince’s ass so long that he’s not making sense. Styles added that he doesn’t want to lose the Elimination Chamber again and nobody will get in the way of his WrestleMania moment. Styles vowed to become the United States Champion tonight as well.
Lashley pointed out that he is the only one that has won an Elimination Chamber match. Lashley claimed that Styles will never have his WrestleMania moment, Austin Theory is too inexperienced, Rollins isn’t a visionary because he’d see that he isn’t winning if he were, and Riddle’s head is in the clouds if he actually believes he has a shot.Lashley mentioned Brock Lesnar and The Beast’s music hit. Lesnar was dressed as a cowboy again and got a big pop from the fans.
Brock used Austin Theory as a coat rack and got in Lashley’s face. Theory threw Lesnar’s jacket off of him and went for a Sleeper Hold. Brock escaped and started delivering German Suplexes to Theory. Lesnar hit Austin Theory with an F5 as the rest of the superstars in the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match retreated. Lesnar took a selfie with Austin Theory to end the segment.
Street Profits Picked Up A Win
Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler faced Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins in the first match of the night. Tommaso Ciampa was on commentary for the match as Dolph Ziggler has recently appeared on NXT 2.0. Street Profits won the match in quick fashion by isolating Roode. Ziggler got distracted with Ciampa and hit him with a Superkick. Ciampa threw a drink in Dolph’s face and Roode was distracted. Montez Ford hit Roode with the Frog Splash for the pinfall victory.
Kevin Owens Mocked Texas
Kevin Owens cut a promo tonight and said that he was a realist. Owens said he probably will not be in the Elimination Chamber match and doesn’t have a path to WrestleMania. KO looked at the positives in that and noted that he doesn’t have to compete in Dallas, Texas now. Owens called everyone from Texas morons and referred to the state as the ass of North America.
Damian Priest Retained The US Title
Damian Priest defended the United States Championship against AJ Styles on this week’s episode of WWE RAW. Styles defeated Priest in a Championship Contender’s matchup to earn the title shot.
The action started off back and forth in the middle of the ring. Damian took control and connected with some headbutts and strikes to the midsection. Priest planted Styles with a Backbeaker and went for the cover but AJ kicked out at two.
Styles battled back and caught Damian with the Pele Kick. AJ knocked Damian out of the ring and made his way to the apron but the champ tripped him up. Back in the ring, Priest caught AJ with a roundhouse kick and rolled him up for the pinfall victory. Damian Priest is still the United States Champion. AJ Styles and Damian Priest shook hands following the match.
Omos def. Hurt Business
Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin battled Omos in a Handicap match tonight. Omos absolutely dominated the match and defeated them both with ease. Omos pinned Cedric after connecting with a Chokebomb.
Becky Lynch & Lita Signed The Contract
Becky Lynch will be defending the RAW Women’s Championship against WWE Hall of Famer Lita at Elimination Chamber this Saturday. Adam Pearce moderated the contract signing tonight for the title match. Becky Lynch came to the ring in a very somber mood and tried to play mind games with the challenger tonight.
Lynch wanted out of the match and claimed that she hasn’t slept all week. Becky said that she was kept up by thinking about her teenage idol physically assaulting her last week so close to WrestleMania. Becky called the fans demented for wanting to see this match and claimed that Lita has nothing left to prove.
Lita claimed to have a title run left and quickly signed the contract. Lynch changed her tune and told Lita that she has studied all of her weaknesses and warned Lita that she will not hesitate to go after her neck. Lynch added that after the match, people will remember Lita with a tear in their eye. Lynch signed the contract and Lita vowed to take it from her at Elimination Chamber.
Bianca Belair Won The Gauntlet Match, Will Enter The Elimination Chamber Last
There was a Gauntlet match tonight on RAW to determine which superstar will get the advantage of having their pod open last at Elimination Chamber. Rhea Ripley & Nikki A.S.H. began the Gauntlet match. RAW went to a commercial break as the former tag teammates stared at each other in the ring.
When RAW returned, Nikki was in control and beat Rhea down in the corner. Ripley battled back with some Clotheslines and went for a Riptide but Nikki escaped. Nikki went for a Crowwbody but Ripley caught her. Rhea then hit the Riptide for the pinfall elimination.
Rhea battled Liv Morgan next in the Gauntlet match. Morgan went for a roll-up right away but Ripley kicked out. Liv connected with a Dropkick and locked in a Sleeper Hold in the middle of the ring. Back from a break, Morgan went for a Dropkick off the top rope but Ripley dodged it. Ripley applied the Cloverleaf submission but Liv got to the ropes to break it up. Rhea hit the Riptide on Morgan for the pinfall elimination.
Doudrop entered the Gauntlet match next. Ripley unloaded a bunch of strikes but Doudrop wouldn’t go down. The two superstars began trading headbutts and Doudrop got the better of the exchange. Doudrop hit a Suplex and followed it up with a Senton for a near fall. Doudrop went for another Senton but Rhea was able to avoid it. Rhea Ripley hit a Clothesline and followed it up with the Riptide for her third pinfall elimination of the Gauntlet match.
Bianca Belair was the final superstar in the Gauntlet match. Bianca connected with a Spinebuster and went for the cover but Ripley was able to power out at the last moment. Belair connected with a handspring Moonsault but Ripley kicked out again and the match continued.
Rhea battled back and went for the Riptide but Bianca was able to escape. Both superstars battled on the top turnbuckle and Bianca connected with a slam. Bianca eventually took control and hit the KOD for the pinfall victory. Belair will be the final superstar to enter the Elimination Chamber match.
American Alpha def. The Mysterios
RAW Tag Team Champions Alpha Academy faced The Mysterios tonight in a non-title match. Before the match, Gable and Otis cut a “Public Assembly” promo and Gable claimed that he has never cheated to accomplish anything. The Miz & Maryse interrupted and joined commentary for the match.
Alpha Academy started off the match in control. Otis had Rey set up for the Vader bomb but he was able to escape. Dominik tagged in and hit Gable with a Tornado DDT. Dominik went for Three Amigos but Gable countered the third into a Suplex of his own for a near fall. The Mysterios battled back and knocked American Alpha to the outside as RAW went to a break.
When RAW returned, Gable connected with a Belly to Belly Suplex on Dominik. Rey tagged in and booted Otis off the apron. Mysterio hit a Bulldog on Gable and went for the cover but Otis broke it up at two. Rey and Dominik hit Gable with a double 619 but Miz hopped into the ring. Rey chased The Miz around as Dominik climbed to the top rope. Dominik went for a Crossbody but Gable rolled through into a pin while grabbing Dominik’s tights for leverage. After the match, Maryse distracted Rey and Miz capitalized with a Skull Crushing Finale.
Alexa Bliss Will Return At Elimination Chamber
Alexa Bliss’ Journey Back to RAW continued on this week’s episode. During this week’s therapy session, Alexa Bliss announced what her next chapter is. Alexa said that she will be the final superstar in the Women’s Elimination Chamber match.
Seth Rollins def. Randy Orton
Randy Orton faced Seth Rollins tonight in the main event. Riddle held an RK-Broga party backstage throughout the show but Orton wasn’t interested in attending.
The match started off back and forth. Orton sent Rollins to the corner and hit some punches. Seth battled back but Orton knocked him out of the ring with a Clothesline. Orton followed Seth out there and slammed him on the announce table before the action returned to the ring. Orton went for the Draping DDT but Rollins countered into a Back Body Drop that sent Orton crashing to the floor. Rollins followed it up with a Suicide Dive as RAW went to a commercial break.
When RAW returned, Orton hit a Superplex and both superstars were down. Orton got an arm on Rollins for a pinfall attempt but Seth kicked out at two. Rollins hit an Enziguri but Orton shrugged it off and sent Seth to the corner. Rollins hit the Slingblade and set up for the Blackout (Stomp) but Orton countered into his Powerslam for a near fall. Alpha Academy rushed the ring but Riddle was chasing after them. Orton got out of the ring to battle Alpha Academy with Riddle. Rollins capitalized on the distraction and hit Orton with the Blackout for the pinfall victory.