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Raw opened this week with Drew McIntyre and an in-ring promo, largely around his WrestleMania opponent, Seth Rollins. Seth was quick to make an appearance and not so politely ask him to keep it quiet. They exchanged words and got in each other’s faces, but ultimately, the champ won the verbal exchange. As we cut to commercial, Seth’s music played while Drew scattered to the back.
Has @WWERollins awoken a Scottish fire-breathing dragon in @DMcIntyreWWE on the Road to #WrestleMania?#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/729ZVuVLSX
— WWE (@WWE) March 12, 2024
Becky Lynch would take on Liv Morgan in the first match of the night. This match could get plenty of TV time and the two would actually make a decent back-and-forth of it. Becky Lynch would secure a pinfall via the “Manhandle Slam”. Rhea Ripley would make her way to the ring post-match. This served as a short promo for their upcoming match at WrestleMania. In summary, Rhea would say she can stop trying to prove she is better, while Becky would say if it was the world vs “The Man”, but your bet on “The Man”.
Is The Man ready for Mami at #WrestleMania? pic.twitter.com/EVN9WHgYhD
— WWE (@WWE) March 12, 2024
Indi Hartwell would take on Maxxine Dupree. During the match Maxxine would appear to be setting up for a variation on the worm, a shoutout to Otis, before Candice LeRae would interfere. Although it did not get physical it was brutal. Amongst other things, Candice said her dead brother would be embarrassed and the whole locker room hates her.
What has gotten into @CandiceLeRae?! That was wayyyyy over the line!#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/mgNX7a4PVV
— WWE (@WWE) March 12, 2024
There was also a major announcement regarding the WWE Tag Team Championships. The Judgment Day will be defending their titles in a 6-team ladder match. The other teams are currently unannounced.
BREAKING: As announced by #WWERaw General Manager @ScrapDaddyAP & #SmackDown General Manager @RealNickAldis, there will be a historic 6-Pack Tag Team Ladder Match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship at #WrestleMania! pic.twitter.com/CZWckAQqT1
— WWE (@WWE) March 12, 2024
Cody Rhodes would do an in-ring interview with Michael Cole. When asked why he agreed to the stipulations at WrestleMania against The Bloodline and how can you trust Seth Rollins, he would reply with an extended version of “people change”. He would also add he respects Seth, and he feels this has the best way to get a clean shot at Roman Reigns on night two. Cody became genuinely emotional while discussing how he can’t hand anything to Dusty, but he can certainly hand his legacy to his mother and wife.
Go finish the story, @CodyRhodes. ❤️#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/Im3p05Phmo
— WWE (@WWE) March 12, 2024
The Kabuki Warriors would defend their WWE Tag Team Championships against Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark. Asuka and Shayna would start the match and take turns showing off their stiff kicks. Shanya Baszler was really looking to put on a show. Great pace, strength, and even nice high spots. The champions were in great form as well. Striking to match, amazing reversals and pace. Perhaps to be expected based on both team’s time together, but The Kabuki Warriors have the edge in tandem moves. This had to have been one of the better women’s tag-team match’s in Raw history. Dakota Kai would end up grabbing the leg of Shayna, causing a distracting in which Kairi Sane took advantage and retained their titles.
The Women's Tag Team Championship is on the line on #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/sILIDDteXg
— WWE (@WWE) March 12, 2024
After hearing about the 6-team match at WrestleMania, Damian Priest would face R-Truth with extra anger. Priest would get a large amount of the offense early, but Truth would make an exciting comeback. He would even have a close near finish and a submission that had Priest in deep water. Finn Balor would make cause a distraction, allowing Priest to secure the victory. After the match The Judgement Day would get the better of DIY (who was ringside with R-Truth) and Truth, laying a beat down before walking away and cutting to commercial to their music.
R-Truth just used the power of @JohnCena and nearly won the match against @ArcherofInfamy on #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/1qSmWmKh9c
— WWE (@WWE) March 12, 2024
Jey Uso would cut a promo in the ring in the next segment aimed at his brother Jimmy Uso. Jey suggested that since Jimmy will not leave him alone, even after leaving Smackdown to come to Raw, they should settle their differences at WrestleMania. We will have the wait for final confirmation that Jimmy accepts the challenge, but one would assume so.
Jey Uso wants BROTHER vs. BROTHER at #WrestleMania!
Will we see Jey vs. Jimmy on the Grandest Stage of Them All?
YEET or NO YEET? pic.twitter.com/s47hlW9Ge9— WWE (@WWE) March 12, 2024
Big match with a big opportunity on the line in the next match, a gauntlet match to determine the number one contender for Gunther and his WWE International Championship at WrestleMania. Ricochet would lead the way, facing JD McDonagh in the first pairing of the 6-man gauntlet. The two would get more time than I expected, considering there was still 4 more men to come. They would put on some entertaining wrestling, to boot. Great speed and high spots. Ricochet would eventually win after both men put in a great effort. Big Bronson Reed would come down next to take on Ricochet. Ricochet would waste no time and bring on the early offense, jumping over the ropes to the floor onto Bronson before he even made it to the ring. The two did not go as long but would take advantage of the conflicting styles with some great power reversals off of some athletic moves from Ricochet. Ricochet would not have it in the tank, and Reed would hit the Tsunami finisher. Enter Sami Zayn in the gauntlet match. Bronson would dominate for the most part early, displaying his strength with multiple power moves. Sami Zayn would end up with the last laugh, hitting a sunset flip power bomb reversal for the victory. Well, we thought he got the last laugh, that is, until Bronson Reed hit Sami with some “extra curriculars” after the match. Shinsuke Nakamura would be the next entrant and would try to take advantage of the beat-down Sami Zayn. Despite the extra damage to Zayn, he seemed to be able to keep up and both men seemed to keep trading the advantage. Zayn would prove to have enough in the tank for Shinsuke, hitting the Helluva Kick to secure the win. Chad Gable would be the final entrant into the gauntlet match and prove to be noble, allowing the exhausted Sami Zayn to stand up and start the match on equal footing. Gable really showed his ground / chain wrestling skills early with great reversals, submissions, and wrestle-style slams. Zayn would have the strength to break out of two separate ankle locks and hit a Helluva Kick. This was a fantastic false finish where Gable rolled Zayn into a pin of his own for another exhilarating false finish. In what appeared to be the finish, Chad Gable had yet another ankle lock on deep. In a shocking end, Zayn would reverse the ankle lock into a roll up pinfall victory. It will be Sami Zayn versus Gunther for the International Championship at WrestleMania.
That wraps up WWE Raw for this week. Stay tuned to Greenville Sports Media for more of my regular wrestling articles.
Howe Fresh (of The Wrasslin Corner on The Real Fresh Channel)
for Greenville Sports Media
and check out my weekly opinionated podcast “The Wrasslin Corner”
