RAW took place in the home place of CM Punk, Chicago, IL. The show was absolutely packed and actually a much better show than WWE Fastlane. The show featured a couple of title matches and had some huge implications for Wrestlemania. Let’s get straight to results.
Chris Jericho calls out Kevin Owens
RAW started off with the returning Chris Jericho. Jericho came out to vocal support from the Chicago audience as he gloated about costing Kevin Owens the WWE Universal Championship before calling out Kevin Owens to meet him face to face.
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Jericho implored Owens to tell him why he stabbed him in the back. Owens’ reply was that Jericho was never really his best friend. KO added that Jericho was just a tool he used to retain his championship. Owens elaborated that Triple H had told him, on the night he won the WWE Universal Championship, that now that he was champ everyone would have their crosshairs on him.
KO then said that Jericho was a gullible tool who ran out of usefulness when he accepted Goldberg’s challenge in Kevin Owens’ behalf. He then added that Jericho had outsmarted him but he had made a mistake too since he let Jericho walk away on his own two feet after the Festival of Friendship.
Jericho then challenged Owens to a match at Wrestlemania as the crowd exploded in support. Owens’ reply was that he wanted the WWE US Championship to be on the line, which Jericho agreed to. Owens then ran into the ring as Owens and Jericho came to blows.
Joe jumped Jericho from behind as Owens and Jericho brawled. Owens and Joe looked to have the upperhand when Sami Zayn came out with a steel chair. Joe tosses Y2J out of the ring as Joe and KO double-teamed Zayn but Jericho got back up and came at both Joe and Owens with the steel chair, which sent them scampering.
Kevin Owens vs Sami Zayn
The match started off with Owens and Zayn trading blows before Sami took control and hit the 10-count punches in the corner. Owens hit back with a knee and tossed Zayn out of the ring. KO left the ring to join Zayn who clotheslined him immediately.
Zayn then rolled Owens back in the ring and followed him in. Owens hit Zayn with a Cannonball before looking to set up the Pop-Up Powerbomb but Zayn hit back with a dropkick which sent Owens rolling out. Zayn hit Owens with a tope codheiro over the top rope before the action went back inside the ring.
Owens caught an off-guard with a Pop-Up Powerbomb. He then hit Zayn with a somersault legdrop. Owens then hit a second Pop-Up Powerbomb to pin Sami Zayn.
Kevin Owens def. Sami Zayn
Neville (C) vs Rich Swann (for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship)
Swann started off with a flourish hitting Neville with a volley of high intensity offence which sent Neville reeling to ringside. Swann followed him out and sent him crashing into the barricade. Swann then charged at Neville again but the ‘King of the Cruiserweights’ launched him face-first into the apron as we headed to commercial.
We came back from commercial with Neville still in control. Swann hit back with an enzeguiri with Neville on the apron. Swann then headed to the top rope and hit a Swanton Bomb to ringside. Swann continued his momentum back inside the ring with a hurracanrana followed by a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall.
Swann headed back to the top rope which turned out to be a mistake as Neville met him with a forearm before hitting Swann with a Superplex but Swann managed to roll out of the ring to avoid being pinned.
Neville then headed back out to ringside as he drove Swann back-first into the barricade as we headed for another commercial.
The two men upped the ante after the break as Swann hit Neville with a Rich Kick but Neville somehow kicked out. Swann then went for an ill-fated Phoenix Splash attempt and missed. Neville covered Swann quickly and he kicked out but Neville then locked in a modified Crossface to tap Swann out.
Neville def. Rich Swann
Austin Aries went into the ring to interview Neville. Neville kept insulting Aries who eventually lost his patience and hit Neville with a forearm followed by a spinning lariat which sent Neville scampering.
Aries vs Neville looks set to be the match for the Cruiserweight Championship at Wrestlemania.
Goldberg returns to RAW as WWE Universal Champion
Goldberg came out for the first time as WWE Universal Champion and was greeted by a mixture of boos and cheers. Goldberg then thanked the fans and started to speak about divulging some secrets as the angry crowd started to chant for CM Punk.
Paul Heyman came out at this point to make the save. Heyman said he wasn’t man enough to go down and congratulate Goldberg before adding that he wasn’t alone.
Brock Lesnar’s music came on at this moment as Brock and Heyman made their way down to the ring. Brock and Goldberg faced off in the ring as Heyman hyped up their upcoming Wrestlemania match before Heyman said that Brock was willing to shake Goldberg’s hand.
Heyman finished off the promo by saying that Brock would make Goldberg his “bitch” at Wrestlemania before Lesnar F5-ed Goldberg and laid him out. Brock and Heyman then left the ring as Goldberg staggered to his feet.
Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson (C) vs Enzo and Cass (for the RAW Tag-Team Championships)
Enzo and Cass came out once again looking for cheap pops based on the local sports team, on this occasion the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan.
Gallows started off with Enzo. He hammered Enzo who made a quick tag to Cass. Cass and Gallows traded blows for a bit before Karl Anderson tagged himself in. Cass then cleared the ring of both men when the camera changed and we saw Cesaro and Sheamus walking out as we headed for a commercial.
We came back from commercial to see Anderson beating down on Enzo Amore. Anderson hit a Belly-To-Back suplex before tagging Gallows back in. Gallows hit Enzo with a couple of tagging blows before Enzo hit a tornado DDT before both men made tags.
Cass came in and hit Anderson with multiple Fallaway Slams and Stinger Splashes which he followed with an Empire Elbow. Gallows broke up the pin attempt before Enzo hit him with a suicide dive. While celebrating, Enzo knocked over Cesaro’s coffee which led to Cesaro interfering and clotheslining Karl Anderson by mistake which led to a DQ.
Match ended by DQ
The situation broke out into a brawl between the 6 men which ended with Sheamus hitting Enzo with a Brogue Kick while he was hanging onto Sheamus.
Akira Tozawa vs Ariya Daivari
Daivari started off really strong as he caught Tozawa a little off guard and built on that advantage. Daivari locked in a lodified Camel Clutch but Tozawa managed to break free. Tozawa then feinted a right hand before hitting Daivari with a jab. He then hit Daivari with a snapmare followed by a running PK.
With Daivari out at ringside, Tozawa hit him with a suicide dive before dragging Daivari back into the ring and hit hitting him with a snap German Suplex to pin him.
Akira Tozawa def. Ariya Daivari
Tozawa called out Brian Kendrick after the match. Kendrick came out, but said that he would give his answer tomorrow on 205 Live.
The New Day vs Shining Stars
Kofi Kingston and Primo started us off. Primo quickly took control early and before tagging in Epico. Primo and Epico confronted Woods and Big E at ringside but Big E and Kofi Kingston wiped then out before Big E dragged Primo into the ring.
Big E and Kofi hit Primo with the Midnight Hour and pinned him.
The New Day def. Shining Stars
Bayley addresses the WWE Universe
Bayley spoke to Mick Foley in the ring about her dream was always to perform at Wrestlemania before adding that it just didn’t feel right since she beat Charlotte at Fastlane with Sasha Banks’ help. Foley said that how she got to ‘Mania didn’t matter, all that mattered was that she was headed to ‘Mania. He then asked Bayley who her opponent would be.
At this point Sasha’s music hit and she came in and asked for a match with Bayley, to which the fans reacted with “yes” chants.
Charlotte’s music hit at this point and she accused Sasha of using Bayley and pretending to be her friend. Charlotte accused Foley of standing by and not doing anything while Sasha and Bayley robbed her of the title. At this point Stephanie McMahon’s music hit.
Stephanie came in and announced that she wanted Charlotte vs Bayley at ‘Mania. When Mick Foley protested, Stephanie put Bayley and Sasha in a match with the stipulation that if Sasha won, she’d be put in the title match at ‘Mania which would then become a triple threat.
Bayley vs Sasha Banks
Bayley and Sasha started off slow, really slow. They grappled and locked up, without hitting each other hard but the pace picked up slowly.
Sasha took Bayley down with multiple armdrags as Bayley crawled over to the corner, still refusing to come hard at her friend despite what was at stake. Bayley struck back and worked on Sasha’s arm before hitting a leaping armdrag from the middle rope.
Sasha hit back with a cheapshot, slapping Bayley across the chest before following Bayley out to ringside. Bayley avoided Banks and came back into the ring before Sasha took her down with a clothesline.
We came back from commercial to see Sasha and Bayley trading pinning attempts before Bayley maneuvered out of a backslide and attempted a Bayley-To-Belly before Sasha hit back with forearms. Bayley hit a belly-to-back suplex as Charlotte and Dana Brooke headed out to ringside. Sasha then hit Bayley with the double knees as Bayley attempted a crossbody and missed.
Sasha then attempted a Banks Statement and even an intervention from Charlotte couldn’t stop her. Bayley tapped out as Sasha kicked Charlotte off the apron.
Sasha Banks def. Bayley
Charlotte booted Sasha in the head as she was celebrating. She then took out Bayley with another boot.
Update on Seth Rollins’ return from injury
Triple H addresses the Seth Rollins situation
Triple H appeared on video to address Seth Rollins. ‘The Game’ berated Seth Rollins, calling him stupid for ignoring WWE medical staff’s advice to skip Wrestlemania. Triple H went on to say that Rollins called himself ‘the man’ which was a lie because he had given the name to himself.
Triple H signed off with a warning to Rollins – if Seth showed up at ‘Mania, he will get destroyed.
Samoa Joe vs Chris Jericho
Samoa Joe drove Jericho into the corner as soon as the bell rang, hitting him with a running elbow in the corner followed by an enzeguiri. Joe followed it up by stomping Jericho in the corner. Jericho hit back by hitting Joe with a crossbody but it didn’t seem to have any effect as Joe drove Jericho back into the mat and hit him with a Senton.
Jericho reversed a submission attempt and went to attempt the Walls Of Jericho but Joe broke free as Jericho hit him with an enzeguiri. Jericho followed it up with a springboard dropkick as Joe landed back on his feet at ringside. Y2J looked to follow it up with a baseball slide but Joe dragged him out and locked in the Coquina Clutch on the outside.
Joe left a grounded Jericho lying on the floor as he headed back into the ring as Jericho got counted out.
Samoa Joe wins by DQ
Joe looked to punish Y2J further after the match was over but Y2J hit him with a Codebreaker and drove him away.
Braun Strowman challenges Roman Reigns, Undertaker interferes
Braun Strowman started off by telling Reigns that his luck was about to run out, saying that he didn’t need a match to prove himself. He then added that neither he nor the fans in Chicago liked Reigns, before challenging him to come out at face him.
As Reigns’ music had just hit, it changed into Undertaker’s music and the ‘Deadman’ came out and made his way down to the ring and confronted Strowman. The crowd reacted with chants of ‘holy sh*t’ as the two behemoths faced off.
Following the face-off, Strowman just left the ring and walked away. At this point, Roman Reigns’ music hit as he came out to face Undertaker. To say the boos were defeaing would be an understatement.
Roman came and told ‘Taker that Strowman hadn’t called him out. He then added that the ring was now his yard and not ‘Taker’s. The crowd vociferously reacted with chants of “Roman Sucks” as Undertaker chokeslammed Reigns to hell as RAW went off the air.
