We are well on the Road to WrestleMania as Fastlane quickly approaches. We’ve got a new WWE Champion in The Miz, an everlasting rivalry between Randy Orton and The Fiend and Braun Strowman wants to give somebody those hands. 

So what did Monday Night Raw have in store? Here’s a segment-by-segment review of the night:

SHOW OPEN

Raw kicks off with the announcement of Drew McIntyre versus Sheamus. Drew makes his entrance and cuts a promo reviewing the last 2 1/2 weeks of programming. He ended the promo by calling out Bobby Lashley and the Miz, saying that he will challenge whoever is the winner of the night’s match between the two. But as he turns his attention towards Sheamus, the Miz makes his entrance. He claims to be the victim of threats from Bobby Lashley and believes Lashley to be at the fault of all of this conflict.

Out comes the Hurt Business’s leader MVP to make it clear that Lashley will destroy the Miz tonight.

MVP exits, Sheamus enters and it's time to fight.

The fight begins on the outside before the match starts. Referees swarm to pull them apart but are unable to do so. Commercial.

Overall, a bit of a crowded segment but it made clear all of the players currently running for the WWE Championship.

3.5/5

DREW MCINTYRE VS. SHEAMUS

We come back to a countdown graphic for the WWE Championship for later tonight and jump right into a brawl between McIntyre and Sheamus. Commentary is playing up the history between these former friends as a pay-per-view main event quality match is underway. Not a lot of wrestling moves. A few suplexes, a hold or two, I’d say this match was about 80/20 in favor of strikes. 

Highlight: Sheamus hits McIntyre with a huge brogue kick which knocks McIntyre out of the ring.

Highlight: Drew McIntyre hits an overhead belly-to-belly suppler into the edge of the announce table, then another on the top.

The match ended when Sheamus went for another Brogue Kick, and like a cowboy standoff, McIntyre drew first with the Claymore, drawing the three count.

This was a very physical match, one that Samoa Joe referred to as a “war” on commentary. The two traded blows, and each other’s signature moves… and it went on for about 35 minutes.

3.5/5

NAOMI (W/ LANA) VS. NIA JAX (W/SHAYNA BASZLER)

We head backstage to Naomi dancing, but she is quickly confronted by Nia Jax and they will go toe-to-toe after the break.

Lana accompanies Naomi to the ring for…reasons. I guess to even the score as Shayna Baszler walks to the ring with Nia Jax, as a graphic for this Wednesday’s NXT matchup appears underneath them.

Immediately Nia is dominant, with Naomi bouncing off of Nia, and Nia throwing Naomi around like a rag doll. Not much fight in Naomi tonight, as she’s handily defeated by way of a choke-bomb from Nia. 

Highlight: Nia regularly leering at Lana on the outside despite actively destroying Naomi.

My only question is why use Naomi to show the viciousness of Nia Jax? That role could have been better occupied by someone with a bit lower cache, like a local competitor.

1/5

THE MIZ (C) VS. BOBBY LASHLEY: WWE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

We’re shown a mean-mugging Bobby Lashley as we approach the WWE Championship match between The Miz (c) and Bobby Lashley, and as he enters looking like an absolute tank in 4K, commentary speaks on his long WWE career and overall journey to this WWE Championship match.

The Miz takes his time to come to the ring, with a long silence passes before his music hits, but he doesn’t enter.

We cut to backstage, The Miz has stomach cramps and is complaining to WWE Official Adam Pearce.

Lashley isn’t having it, he leaves the ring and sprints up the ramp and threatens The Miz once again, promising that they will have their match tonight.

Adam Pierce pushes the match from 9 pm to 10 pm. This feels really cheap, to push the match closer to the end of the show just to retain the audience.

1/5

BRAUN STROWMAN BELIEVES MANAGEMENT IS OUT TO GET HIM

Out comes Braun Strowman, he’s got a tag team match set against Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander, but we don’t know who his partner is yet. 

Braun starts talking about what he believes is happening to him, that Shane McMahon and Adam Pearce have something against him and are constantly screwing him over. They both come out and address it, saying that Braun’s the only one with a problem. Shane says the conflict can be resolved with communication, and he needs to be willing to work with WWE Management. 

Braun’s tag team partner tonight is Adam Pearce. Braun is not amused. Shane officially makes the match into a Tag Team Championship match.

I’m not really understanding why Braun believes WWE Management has something against him. He literally had a WWE Championship #1 Contenders match last Monday. Plus, with all of the underutilized (or just unused) talent in WWE, we have for some reason entered WWE Agent Adam Pearce into a prominent match yet again.

2/5

BRAUN STROWMAN AND ADAM PEARCE VS. THE HURT BUSINESS (C): RAW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

In comes The Hurt Business to defend their Raw Tag Team Championships, but with MVP and Lashley otherwise occupied, it seems Shane McMahon is the only person available to get involved and give this match a sloppy finish.

Strowman bulldozes both Alexander and Benjamin, twice. He doesn’t want or need a partner. 

Strowman runs himself into his partner, which finally gives The Hurt Business an opening to attack Braun.

Braun turns it around and hits Benjamin with a powerslam, and is coerced by Shane McMahon into tagging in Adam Pearce, who is quickly rolled up. 

1, 2, 3.

Some nice forwarding of this story, I’m just not sure where it’s headed. Braun vs. Shane?

1.5/5

ELIAS WANTS TO COLLAB WITH BAD BUNNY

24/7 Champion (hottest artist in all of music today) Bad Bunny is hanging out with Damien Priest, before being confronted by Elias and Jaxson Ryker. Elias apparently wants to collaborate on an LP with Bad Bunny. Bunny, in Spanish, says to Priest that he’s not interested.

5/5

Just kidding, 2.5/5 (I am biased towards anything Bad Bunny)

BAD BUNNY (W/ DAMIAN PRIEST) VS. ELIAS (W/ JAXSON RYKER)

“Hello I am Elias” bellows through the Thunderdome and he and Jaxson Ryker are standing in the ring. Elias complains about his album “Universal Truth” not being nominated for a Grammy Award.

Out comes Bad Bunny, followed by Damien Priest as he prepares for a match against Elias.

Commentary puts over Bad Bunny’s 8-billion streams worldwide. 

Despite Priest being about 6 foot 5 inches, his more slender frame gives him the ability to come off as a more explosive, less sedated giant. Ryker gets a couple of cheap shots in, which set up for a miscommunication spot later in the match.

Highlight: Damien Priest hits the newly named “Broken Arrow”, a Falcon Arrow with beautiful height and separation.

A nice combo from Priest leads him to The Reckoning and a victory for the still undefeated Damien Priest.

2.5/5

RANDY ORTON DEALS WITH ALEXA AND THE FIEND, AGAIN

Backstage with Kayla Braxton, we’ve got Randy Orton being asked about The Fiend and Alexa Bliss. We cutaway to last week, to a clip of Orton coughing up some black sludge.

Randy threatens Bliss to leave him alone, as she appears on a screen behind him. She’s sitting in a pentagram, as a fake Randy Orton appears on the screen, presumably being controlled by The Fiend. Randy coughs up black sludge again.

I don’t know, man.

1/5

THE MIZ (C) VS. BOBBY LASHLEY: WWE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH, AGAIN

It’s 10 pm now, The Miz heads to the ring flanked by John Morrison, commentary is all but counting him out.

Bobby Lashley comes out once more. I may be speaking for myself, but I never get tired of seeing The Hurt Business on my television.

The Miz asks for a mic and wants to talk business before they have a match. He insists that Monday Night Raw isn’t a large enough stage to have this marquee match.

MVP ignores The Miz’s pleas and tells the ring announcer to continue.

As soon as the bell rings, The Miz grabs his championship belt from the timekeeper’s table and absolutely BOOKS it backstage. 

Bobby Lashley wins via count-out.

I don’t mind The Miz avoiding the match, but why does WWE keep promising this match, only to pull back twice now? It doesn’t make people angry with The Miz, it makes people just change the channel.

0/5 … for now

MVP DEMANDS A REAL WWE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

We’re backstage again with Shane McMahon talking to MVP and Lashley. Shane says there will be a title match, or else The Miz will be stripped of his WWE Championship.

Highlight: MVP says “bullsh*t” on national TV.

2.5/5

SHAYNA BASZLER (W/ NIA JAX) VS. CHARLOTTE

Charlotte Flair comes to the ring in an exceptional purple and gold robe and speaks on the emotional rollercoaster she’s been on over the last few months. 

Becoming Tag Team Champions with Asuka, getting tangled up with the now pregnant Lacey Evans and her own father, Ric Flair. 

She then addresses the opening at #1 Contender for the Raw Women’s Championship, and she wants in that match, but she can’t challenge the champion because Shayna Baszler literally kicked Asuka’s teeth out last week.

Out comes Flair’s opponent for tonight, The Queen of Spades, Shayna Baszler. She and Nia Jax come out and gloat about Charlotte not having any friends.

A two-on-one assault breaks out, will this match even happen?

. . .

Apparently so, as the bell has rung during the commercial break. While Shayna works on Charlotte’s arm, we cut backstage to see Naomi and Lana watching the match. Despite being decimated by Nia Jax earlier, Noami seems fine now.

Chops, limb-targeting and a little bit of shenanigans from Nia, this match was really solid. It’s no doubt these are two of the best competitors on the Raw roster. A quick match as Charlotte picks up the victory, slipping out of the Karafuta Clutch and hitting Natural Selection.

I’d watch these two wrestle any day, but where does this leave Charlotte with the Raw Women’s Champion currently sidelined, or Shayna who just lost while her partner absolutely dominated earlier in the evening?

3/5

RIDDLE AND LUCHA HOUSE PARTY VS. RETRIBUTION; RIDDLE VS. MUSTAFA ALI

Lucha House Party still just doesn’t look right without Kalisto with them. They’re just meant to be a trio. Seeing them stand next to Matt Riddle doesn’t help that. Despite Riddle being crowned U.S. Champion just one week ago, he’s being featured in a six-man tag team match against Retribution (who did not even get an entrance.)

T-Bar (Dijak) immediately hits a chokeslam backbreaker on Riddle, which was huge and very surprising, followed by attacks from Slapjack (Thorne) and Mase (Maddin). Nobody gets a shine here as it seems like their match is starting at the 2/3 of the way through, big moves only. Short and fun, considering we skipped the shine and heat parts of the match.

As we head towards commercial though, Mustafa Ali challenges Riddle to a singles match on the spot, which Riddle accepts.

The match started with some beautiful mat-work from Riddle and some really high pace from Ali as proves why he’s one of the most entertaining workers on the roster.

I could go on and on about Mustafa Ali these days, but Riddle gets the best of him tonight with the Final Flash Knee. That would be the finish if not for Retribution getting involved, Wreckoning (Mia Yim) distracts the referee while Mase helps Ali pick up the win.

I’d prefer to see Ali pick up some momentum without relying so heavily on the numbers game, but then again, that’s why he has them.

2.5/5

THE MIZ (C) VS. BOBBY LASHLEY: WWE CHAMPIONSHIP LUMBERJACK MATCH

The Miz appears in front of Shane McMahon pleading his case for not having to face Bobby Lashley tonight but Shane doesn’t care what The Miz has to say, the match is next.

Lashley and MVP once again make their way to ring as Lashley looks ready to rip The Miz’s head off.

The Miz makes his way to the ring. No pyro, no theatrics. He is laser-focused.

Shane McMahon comes out before the bell rings and officially makes it a lumberjack match. Out come The Hurt Business, Matt Riddle and the remainder of the Raw locker room. 

The bell rings, The Miz attempts to hit Bobby Lashley with the WWE Title, and fails. He attempts to flee before being tossed back in the ring by Drew Gulak and Lashley begins the brutalization. 

Lashley is playing with his food.

Hurt Lock is in, The Miz taps, and Bobby Lashley is the new WWE Champion.

After 17 years, two tenures in WWE and a successful independent hiatus, Bobby Lashley is finally WWE Champion. 

This was a really satisfying segment, even if the earlier misdirects were very frustrating.

3/5

OVERALL

Overall, some hits and some misses tonight on Raw. While regular main event talent like Drew McIntyre, Sheamus and Charlotte hit their marks, others like Randy Orton and Braun Strowman didn’t exactly inspire tonight. 

Show Rating: 2.3/5