The Smackdown main events are set for WrestleMania, while RAW has…nothing. That’s not a bad thing, though. There are still six weeks until ‘Mania and a pit stop at Fastlane. RAW has plenty of time to make matches and there is plenty of work to do. No one expects the Miz to still have the WWE title heading in Tampa. While RAW Women’s champion Asuka doesn’t even have a credible opponent for her title, yet. Charlotte Flair, looking in our general direction. Let’s get down to business and head into the ThunderDome.
After being MIA last week, Drew McIntyre is back to reflect on a rough couple of weeks. Sheamus threw away twenty years of friendship. He did overcome the odds to win the Elimination Chamber, only to get blindside by Bobby Lashley. Then to top it all off, the Miz cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to beat him and take the WWE title.
Drew as a clear mission; regain his WWE championship and go to WrestleMania with it. McIntyre puts the winner of tonight’s championship match on notice.
The Miz, with John Morrison in tow, interrupts, but wants to be properly introduced. They applaud McIntyre for handling everything with class. Miz is curious why Drew is upset with him. He did what the Money in the Bank holder is supposed to do; Bobby Lashley is the one who he should be mad at.
McIntyre knows Miz is trying to work him, but refuses to do Miz’s dirty work. Miz claims he never wanted Lashley’s help and he is the victim here. Miz wants to work with Drew. MVP cuts the sales pitch short.
MVP calls the pitch pathetic and hopes McIntyre isn’t taking this seriously. Drew doesn’t need anyone help. MVP tells Miz he can’t change that Lashley is stepping into the ring with him and taking the WWE title. And that match will take place promptly at 9pm.
Miz pleads with Drew to teammate up, but Sheamus tells Miz that McIntyre only cares about himself. When he is done with him, McIntyre won’t be of use to anyone. McIntyre meets Sheamus on the ramp and the two brawl. Drew clothesline Sheamus over the barricade.
Sheamus vs. Drew McIntyre
The two brutalize each other at the sound of the bell. McIntyre with a snap suplex and follows with a boot to the head. Sheamus crumples in the corner after a hard Irish whip. Sheamus fights out of the corner with a takedown and knees Drew in the side of the head.
After an early commercial break, Sheamus connects with the Irish Curse back breaker. Sheamus keeps the pressure on, not letting McIntyre to get to his feet. He pulls Drew up on the apron for the Beats of the Belfry. McIntyre explodes out of the corner with a clothesline. Sheamus is dumped out of the ring, but yanks Drew off the apron. McIntyre suplexes Sheamus on the edge of the announce table. Drew slams Sheamus on the table again, before rolling him into the ring. McIntyre connects with a flying clothesline from the top, but can’t get the pin. Sheamus counters the Future Shock DDT with a clothesline. Drew kips up, shocking Sheamus on the top turnbuckle. McIntyre with a superplex and we go to commercial.
After the break, McIntyre with a spinebuster. Sheamus answers with a knee strike and hits White Noise. Drew kicks out. Sheamus looks for a cloverleaf, but Drew counters with a roll up. Sheamus kicks out, only to get hit with the Future Shock DDT. Sheamus rolls to the apron to avoid the Claymore. He hangs McIntyre up on the top rope and pulls him to the top turnbuckle. It backfires as Drew hits Sheamus with his own White Noise from the top rope. Sheamus kicks out.
Sheamus powers out of another DDT and hits an Alabama Slam. Both men get to their feet. McIntyre hits the Claymore as Sheamus was looking for a Brogue kick. McIntyre covers and gets the win.
Winner via pinfall: Drew McIntyre
Backstage, Naomi and Nia Jax have themselves a good old-fashioned staredown.
Naomi w/Lana vs. Nia Jax w/Shayna Baszler
Naomi runs into a wall that is Nia Jax, who then tosses her face first into the mat. Naomi kicks her way out of the corner and hits a chin breaker. Jax locks in a bear hug. Naomi tries a sunset flip, only to get a head butt for her effort. Jax talks trash to Lana as she picks up Naomi. Nia chokeslams her to the mat and covers to get the win.
Winner via pinfall: Nia Jax
After the match, Lana consoles Naomi in the ring.
The Miz (champion) w/John Morrison vs. Bobby Lashley (challenger) w/MVP – WWE Championship Match
The Miz’s music hits, but no Miz. Turns out Miz is in some pain in the back, Morrison claims Miz is sick. The champ claims he is cramping up. Lashley has seen enough and makes a bee line toward the back. Miz wants more time, but Lashley isn’t here for that. He threatens Miz before tossing him to the floor. Adam Pearce tells Miz that he will defend the title at 10 o’clock, even if that means carrying him out to the ring himself.
No Contest
Braun Strowman claims that Adam Pearce and Shane McMahon are out to get him. He cites his suspension and then being excluded from the Elimination Chamber. Now he has a tag match with a mystery partner and he is really getting angry.
Shane McMahon shuffles out on stage to provide some answers. He wants Braun to calm down and he is here to help. Shane has decided on his partner and wants to resolve this issues. He is going to force him to work with WWE management, literally. Shane isn’t his partner. Adam Pearce is. Something tells me that Pearce wasn’t in on this. Braun hates it. Shane throws in that this is title match. Strowman lets Pearce now that he will get theses hands if he messes this up.
Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin (champions) vs. Braun Strowman and Adam Pearce (challengers) w/Shane McMahon – RAW Tag Team Championship Match
The bell rings and Strowman bulldozes the champs. Benjamin is thrown from the ring and Alexander quickly follows. The Strowman Express takes out Alexander and Benjamin on the floor. Back in the ring, Cedric is whipped hard into the corner. Strowman steps on Alexander and then tosses him again. Cedric dodge a charging Strowman, who catches all ring post. Benjamin and Alexander double team Braun, but monster explodes. He power slams Benjamin. Shane wants Pearce to get the tag. Strowman reluctantly tags in him. Benjamin promptly rolls Pearce up and gets the three count.
Winners…and still RAW Tag Team Champions…via pinfall: Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander
After the match, Strowman yells at Shane, blaming him for the loss.
Bad Bunny is still hanging onto the 24/7 title and hanging with Damien Priest. Elias has a proposal for Bunny because he sees potential in him. He wants to collaborate on a single. Priest translates for Bunny, who gave a big no.
Elias w/Jaxson Ryker vs. Damien Priest w/Bad Bunny
Elias is not happy he go snubbed by the Grammys. Bad Bunny cuts Elias’s performance off before he can even start. Priest with a kick to the face and then sends Elias to the floor. Back in the ring, Priest with a head butt. Elias ducks a leaping knee strike and then pulls Damien throat first into the top rope. Elias beats him down in the corner and then smashes him off the apron. He follows with a knee strike and a clothesline in the ring. Elias distracts the ref, allowing Ryker to land a cheap shot. Elias applies a head lock and rakes the face. Priest powers out. He blocks punches from Elias and answers with a strike of his own. Priest with a splash in the corner and hits the Broken Arrow. Elias kicks out.
Ryker jumps to the apron, allowing Elias to roll up Priest. He kicks out and nearly gets a pin. On the apron, Priest with a kick. Elias connects with a knee strike in the ring. Elias ducks a kick. Priest counters Drift Away. Damien with a bell clap and follows up with Hit the Lights. He covers and gets the win.
Winner via pinfall: Damien Priest
Kayla Braxton welcomes Randy Orton to the interview ring. She asks about the strange events that have been happening since his match with the Fiend. All Orton knows is that Alexa Bliss has something to do with it. Unless she wants to end up like the Fiend, Orton suggest she moves on with her life. He can’t be held responsible with what happens next.
Alexa pops up on the monitor behind him, calling him silly. She wants him to know something has she plays with a jack (or fiend) in a box. A hooded Orton appears on the screen, saying this won’t end on his terms as he will come face to face with everything he has ever done. The real Orton starts to choke before going into a coughing fit.
It’s 10pm and do you know where your children are? Wait, that’s not it. It’s 10pm and there’s no turning back for the Miz.
The Miz (champion) w/John Morrison vs. Bobby Lashley (challenger) w/MVP – WWE Championship Match
Miz cuts off the ring introduction and wants to talk things out. He tries to sell MVP on that this isn’t the stage to win the title. It should happen in the Main Event of WrestleMania. MVP shoots down that idea.
The bell rings and Miz runs out of the ring, grabs his belt and runs to the back. The ref makes the ten count and Miz is counted out.
Winner via count out: Bobby Lashley (The Miz retains)
In the back, Shane McMahon tells Lashley that he is upset, but he isn’t going to let this slide. Shane is contemplating stripping Miz of the title, but Lashley wants a piece of him.
Charlotte Flair vs. Shayna Baszler w/Nia Jax
Before the match, Flair points out that we are six weeks away from WrestleMania but Asuka doesn’t have a challenger. Flair wants to challenge her, but Asuka is at home injured. Flair knows Asuka is going to come back stronger than ever and she will challenge her.
Shayna Baszler cuts her off, telling her that she is fighting an uphill battle. Baszler tells her she won’t be used to this Road to WrestleMania. Jax claims that the power has shifted and she or Shayna will be challenging Asuka. Flair is amused because she knows she is the best.
Flair decks Baszler before the bell, but Jax gets involved. The numbers game is too much, as Jax drops a leg.
After the commercials, Baszler is in full control. Flair with a single leg flapjack and then counters a gut wrench suplex with a back drop. Baszler is chopped into the corner, as Flair knocks Jax off the apron. Baszler blocks the figure four, send Flair to the floor. She dodges Jax, who crashes into the ring steps. Flair avoids the Kirifuda Clutch and hits Natural Selection. She covers and gets the win.
Winner via pinfall: Charlotte Flair
Shane is ready to tell Lashley that if the Miz doesn’t compete tonight he will strip him of the WWE title.
Riddle and Lucha House Party vs. RETRIBUTION w/Ali and Reckoning
T Bar hits Riddle with a choke slam back breaker to start. Riddle kicks out. Riddle hits a knee to the face and sends Mace to the floor with a low bridge. Lince Dorado super kicks Slapjack. Gran Metalik makes the tag to finish him off with an elbow drop off Dorado’s shoulders. He covers slapjack for the win.
Winners via pinfall: Lucha House Party and Riddle
After the match, Ali demands Riddle face him in the ring.
Riddle vs. Ali w/RETRIBUTION – Non-Title Match
Ali drop kicks Riddle’s arm and continues to focus on the elbow. He follows with a leaping neck breaker. Riddle counters another leaping neck breaker with a back cracker. He catches Ali with a Pele kick and keeps up the pressure in he corner. Riddle with a Bro-ton, but Ali is able to kick out. He hits the Final Flash knee. Slapjack jumps to the apron, distracting the ref. Reckoning and Mace help Ali slam Riddle off the top rope. Ali covers and gets the pin.
Winner via pinfall: Ali
The Miz makes his meeting with Shane McMahon, claiming his match was legitimate. Shane hasn’t decided on the match type. Miz claims that if he loses the belt it could ruin the brand.
The Miz (champion) w/John Morrison vs. Bobby Lashley (challenger) w/MVP – WWE Championship Lumberjack Match
Okay, let’s try this one more time. Shane McMahon makes his way out on stage and he has an idea. Enter the lumberjacks. The locker room empties as Superstars surround the ring.
The Miz takes a swing at Lashley with the title, but Bobby is able to stop him. Miz tries to escape. He sees an opportunity to strike and Lashley shrugs it off. Lashley pounds on Miz in the corner and tosses him across the ring. Miz rolls to the floor. Ali won’t touch him, so Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin toss him back in. Lashley hits a flatliner and then tosses Miz to the lumberjacks. They toss him back in. Lashley hits a spine buster and wants the Hurt Lock. He gets it cinched in and Miz taps out.
Winner…and new WWE Champion…via submission: Bobby Lashley
Lashley points to the WrestleMania sign before putting Miz in the Hurt Lock again. He tosses Miz aside to stand victorious with MVP. See you next week in the ThunderDome.
Monday Night RAW 3/1/2021
The ThunderDome at Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
Monday Night RAW started off with actual wrestling, okay it took about ten minutes to get there, but its better than thirty. And what a match it was. Drew McIntyre and Sheamus put on a clinic. Miz and Lashley told a story through out the show, with Miz trying everything to get out of defending his WWE title. Elias took Damien Priest to limit, but the Archer of Infamy was able to prevail to remain undefeated. A solid show, hopefully WWE can keep this momentum up to WrestleMania.