We are less than a week out from Elimination Chamber, and tonight was the go-home Raw ahead of the premium live event. All of us are ready for the first PPV in Montreal since 2009, but we had to make a pit stop at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for Monday Night Raw.

We kicked off with Becky Lynch in the ring, and she is coming off her big win over Bayley last week where she got help from Lita. Lynch also had Adam Pearce with her, and she told us how good it felt to get the win and she gave a shoutout to Lita.

She said Damage CTRL has taken so much of her attention that she has no road to WrestleMania. The reason Pearce was there was because Lynch wanted an opportunity to get into the chamber match for a shot at the Raw Women’s title at WrestleMania on Saturday.

Out came Bayley to stop any chances Lynch was about to get, and she was there to say her win didn’t count last week because of Lita. Now Bayley wanted a spot in the chamber and both women started comparing accolades, but now they were interrupted by Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair.

Belair was there to say she only wants to face the best of the best, and she wants to give both Bayley and Lynch a chance for the title. Pearce decided that tonight’s main event would be a triple threat between Belair, Bayley, and Lynch; if Lynch or Bayley win they get into the chamber match, but if Belair wins neither of them do.

We got a brief backstage interview from The Judgement Day and Dom let everyone know that he has been training Damian Priest for the chamber by teaching him what it’s like to be locked up…this prison gimmick is somehow still going.

The Street Profits vs. The Judgement Day (Damian Priest & Finn Balor)

The Judgement Day and Street Profits were head to head for what feels like the 40th time, the match began with Priest and Montez Ford. The Profits were rolling to start, getting some double-teams and then sending both of their opponents to the outside as we head to commercial.

Upon return, Priest was going for an avalanche side-suplex, which Ford reversed in mid-air and then tagged in Dawkins. He came in hot laying out both members of Judgement Day and then the Profits were able to hit Balor with their mega-blockbuster for a two-count.

Ford then landed one of his crazy leaps to the outside onto Priest, while Dom was on the apron distracting Dawkins. Dom’s distraction allowed Balor to get the advantage and he would finish Dawkins off with the Coup de Grace for the win.

After the match, Priest tried to keep attacking the Profits, but out came Edge and Beth Phoenix! Edge and the Profits were able to handle Priest and Balor, while Beth attempted to attack Dom. However, Beth was hit from behind by Mami, Rhea Ripley, and she took Beth out with a Riptide. Clearly, Mami will always be there to protect her Dom!

Winners: The Judgement Day

It was now time for the contract signing between Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley, ahead of their match at Elimination Chamber this Saturday. If WWE has taught us anything over the years, we just knew this signing would be mayhem.

Lesnar was not looking to waste any time, he said he already signed and just wants Lashley to put his name on the contract. Lashley’s music came on, but out came about 20 security guards and they set up a table and chair for Lashley on the stage.

Lashley decided to sit on his own on the stage, and he said he does not want to be a part of the contract signing just because Brock wants it. We then got the typical bad Lashley promo, get this man MVP back ASAP, and the crowd started chanting Bobby scared!

Lesnar said he either signs the contract or he would come to beat his ass and make him sign it. Lesnar then cleared out all 20 security guards and made a run at Lashley, but he got caught with a spear on the ramp. Lashley then signed the contract and laid it on Lesnar’s chest.

It seems we just saw a double-turn, Lashley is once again a heel and cowboy Brock is back to being the babyface we loved all summer long.

Piper Niven vs. Michin

Michin had a score to settle with Piper Niven after she attempted to attack Candice LeRae last week. Niven tried to use her size advantage from the start, but Michin managed to catch her with a DDT brutally spiking Niven on the crown of her skull.

Michin did not maintain much control, as Niven got her with a side slam and not long after she hit her with a Loch Ness Slam to get the easy victory.

Winner: Piper Niven

We now have a backstage interview with Baron Corbin, following being dumped by JBL last week. However, he did not get to say anything as we had to cut to the arena because Sami Zayn has come through the crowd and showed up in the ring!

Zayn said he has come to Raw with something important to say to Cody Rhodes, and he called him out to the ring. Rhodes quickly made his way to the ring and Zayn said he was there to talk about Rhodes’ interaction with Paul Heyman last week.

Zayn said Rhodes said last week that it’s looking like it will be Cody Rhodes versus Sami Zayn at WrestleMania, and Zayn wanted to know if Rhodes truly thinks that Zayn can beat Roman Reigns. Rhodes said he does not B.S. and he truly believes that Zayn can take down Reigns on Saturday, which got the fans chanting this is awesome!

However, Rhodes said it doesn’t matter what he believes, all that matters is if Zayn believes in himself to defeat Reigns. Zayn said the truth is he doesn’t know if he can beat Roman because he has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Roman for over a year.

Zayn believes that Reigns really is operating in God mode and he said all these men that have faced Reigns have failed in trying to take him down. However, an emotional Zayn then said that he fully believes he can beat Reigns, he can be the champion and he can main event WrestleMania.

Even though he doesn’t know if he thinks he will beat Reigns, with tears in his eyes he still believes all those things. Rhodes was baffled that Zayn doesn’t know, he said everyone in the building knows and all his fans in Montreal know. He said there are cracks in The Bloodline for the first time because of Zayn, and he said the best champion in our generation could be dethroned because of Zayn!

Rhodes told Zayn that Reigns is not a God he is just a man and he said that at Elimination Chamber Zayn needs to finish his story! Rhodes then finally said he doesn’t want to see Zayn on Raw next week, because he would rather see him at WrestleMania.

This segment was beyond spectacular and the words these men spoke sparked real emotion in everyone that was listening. Sami Zayn is the best part of WWE right now and it is not even close.

We now had to re-welcome Baron Corbin, he said he is better off with JBL and he was just dragging him down. Corbin said he is sick and tired of being disrespected, and he can’t believe he got cut off for Sami Zayn. He also said there is no way Zayn wins Saturday and he is a walking deadman. He then started to clown, Cody Rhodes, saying Cody, his brother and his dad are all jokes.

Lucky for Corbin, Rhodes was right behind him and he attacked Corbin beating him all the way down to the ring for an impromptu match.

Cody Rhodes vs. Baron Corbin

Cody hitting the Cody Cutter. Credit: WWE

Still, in his suit, Rhodes was beating down Corbin and even landed a suicide dive to the outside. Corbin was getting demolished, Cody was then able to hit a Cody Cutter and then Cross Rhodes for the quick win. If Baron Corbin wasn’t buried after last week, he definitely is now…poor Corbin.

Winner: Cody Rhodes

Team Smackdown: Liv Morgan, Natalya & Raquel Rodriguez vs. Team Raw: Asuka, Carmella & Nikki Cross

Asuka making Liv Morgan tap out. Credit: WWE

All six women competing in the Elimination Chamber this Saturday were in this six-women tag match. At the PPV, all six women will be competing to earn a shot at the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania, but for tonight the three women from Smackdown were teaming up against the three women from Raw.

Liv Morgan, Natalya and Raquel Rodriguez were representing Smackdown, while Asuka, Carmella and Nikki Cross represented Raw. The match got off to a quick start when Natalya put Carmella in the Sharpshooter, and then all six women started brawling as we went into the commercial.

As we returned from the commercial, Liv Morgan was getting the hot tag and she began giving Cross quite the beatdown. Unlucky for her, Cross tagged in Asuka who then single-handedly took out all of her opponents. But, Asuka did not stop there she then took out both of her teammates as well and then ended the match by making Morgan tap out.

Asuka just took out all five of her opponents, she should be the heavy favorite heading into Saturday.

Winners: Asuka, Carmella & Nikki Cross

The Maximum Male Models were back on Raw this week trying to recruit Otis, and they want Otis to join their modelling agency!

Bronson Reed vs. Mustafa Ali

This match came to be after Bronson Reed heard Mustafa Ali tell Dolph Ziggler that he could easily beat Reed. Ali was more wrong than ever and Reed made easy work of Ali; Reed finished the match off with the Tsunami to get the victory.

Winner: Bronson Reed

Edge and Beth Phoenix had a backstage interview, and they said they are sick of fighting with The Judgement Day for a year. Phoenix said after Saturday, The Judgement Day will know why Edge and she are called the grit couple.

It was now time for Miz TV with special guest Seth Rollins, and Rollins was rocking the big red boots that have set social media on fire. Miz said it seems like Rollins is not focusing on the chamber enough and he is too worried about Logan Paul.

Seth Rollins in his big red boots. Credit: WWE

Rollins said nobody wants to talk about that dumpster fire of a human being, but Miz brought up that Paul called Rollins a clown. Miz then hit another soft spot when he said Rollins’ mother must’ve been disappointed when her son was eliminated by Logan Paul.

Rollins yelled, “shut up Mike!” He then said the reason he doesn’t focus on Paul is that he is focused on WrestleMania. Rollins said headlining Mania was always his dream, but Paul doesn’t care about every wrestler’s dreams he just cares about money.

He said Paul doesn’t deserve to have his name said in a wrestling ring and that is why he will continue to ignore him. Miz accused Rollins of being jealous of Paul, but Rollins called Miz stupid. Miz responded by saying that Rollins is upset because Miz has headlined a WrestleMania and Rollins never will because of Logan Paul.

Rollins then attacked Miz and hit a Curbstomp with the big red boots, however, he did not get to celebrate as Austin Theory emerged and attacked Rollins hitting him with A-Town Down.

We now saw Rick Boogs backstage chatting with Elias and Elias said that if Boogs is able to defeat Miz (who is still in the ring knocked out from the Curbstomp), they can collaborate together.

The Miz vs. Rick Boogs

Miz tried to say that he could not compete in his condition, but the bell rang nonetheless and Boogs hit the power slam for a very quick victory. This is Boogs’ second win over Miz in 3 weeks.

Winner: Rick Boogs

Chelsea Green was in Adam Pearce’s office complaining again, this time she wanted to be added to the triple threat tonight. Pearce said that was not happening and he just left her there to complain, I am not into this new gimmick for Green.

Byron Saxton was now interviewing The Judgement Day, and Balor said they will always have the upper hand while beating down Edge and Beth. Dom added in that Edge and Beth are past their prime and Priest said he is leaving the chamber as US Champion. Ripley said her path to Charlotte Flair begins when she and Balor beat the hell out of the grit couple.

Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch vs. Bayley: If Lynch or Bailey win they are added to the elimination chamber

Belair launching Iyo Sky. Credit: WWE

Bayley and Becky were looking for their way to WrestleMania and Belair was looking to crush all their dreams. Belair showcased her strength early catching Lynch in a crossbody and using her to hit Bayley.

Bayley got some offence in when she dodged a run from Belair sending her into the ring-post and she threw Lynch into the barricade. Bayley hit Beliar with a belly-to-back suplex for a two-count and she then got her into a kneebar, which Lynch broke up by hitting Bayley with a leg drop from the top rope.

Lynch now got herself a two-count of her own after she hit both of her opponents with a double DDT. As we returned from commercial, Damage CTRL was now in the corner of Bayley and we saw Bayley deliver a superplex powerbomb, with Lynch getting the worst of it.

Bayley then attempted to stack Belair and Lynch for a double elbow drop, but Belair rolled out of the way and tried getting back into the driver’s seat. Her attempt did not last long and Lynch was able to take Belair out and hit her finish on Bayley, but Damage CTRL pulled Lynch from the ring.

Dakota and Iyo then attacked Belair and Bayley got a two-count out of it, but they were not able to interfere anymore because all six women in the chamber match came out to attack them. Iyo evaded the crowd and tried to get at Belair again, but Belair pressed Iyo over her head and threw her onto everyone on the outside.

With the match even once again, Belair hit Lynch with a KOD landing her on top of Bayley. Belair pinned Bayley for the win and has officially crushed both Bayley and Lynch’s WrestleMania aspirations.

3.5

Raw, February 13th, 2023

This episode of Raw actually went by quite quickly as opposed to the usual product. There were a number of great segments, I enjoyed the contract signing and Rhodes/Zayn was one of the best segments on Raw in forever. The main event was also very entertaining and Belair, Lynch and Bayley showed why they are three of the best WWE has to offer.