Raw: Cody Rhodes is hunting The Bloodline

Joseph Casciaro

Raw: Cody Rhodes is hunting The Bloodline

Happy Monday everyone, we are just two days removed from Elimination Chamber and it is time for Monday Night Raw.

Dominik Mysterio kicked the show off, but he was only there to announce the Women’s World Champion, Rhea Ripley, to the ring. Ripley retained her title against Nia Jax at Elimination Chamber and now looks ahead to WrestleMania where she will face the women’s chamber match winner, Becky Lynch.

Ripley said Jax might have been the biggest threat to her title reign, but it doesn’t matter how big you are because Mami is always on top. She was then quickly interrupted by Lynch, but she was there to say congratulations to Ripley. Saturday was a hell of a night for both of them and Lynch said it’s good Ripley’s family got to see her win in her hometown because now they don’t have to fly to WrestleMania to watch her lose. She admitted Ripley is on a crazy run as the face of the company, however, Lynch has continued to be the backbone of the WWE. The Man can do it all including beating Mami.

A ‘Mania preview. Credit: WWE

Mami congratulated Lynch on her chamber win, but said it is about time she stopped disappointing everyone and actually won something. The Man always thinks they’re the backbone of everything, but behind every great man is an even better woman. However, Ripley said she isn’t behind Lynch because Mami is always on top!

Ripley and Dom then made their way to the back, but Lynch was attacked from behind by Nia Jax. She took The Man down to give her two leg drops and wanted an Annihilator, but officials pulled Lynch to safety. Ripley considered coming to Lynch’s aid, however, she decided just to continue her walk to the back.

Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Nakamura defeated Zayn two weeks ago thanks to Drew McIntyre interfering in the match, so Zayn wanted retribution tonight. This match started slow but picked up when Zayn delivered a moonsault from the apron. Zayn hurt his ribs with that move and created a target for Nakamura, he delivered two knees to Zayn’s ribs. Nakamura hoped for another knee, but Zayn caught him into a Michinoku driver and followed that with a tornado DDT.

Zayn was hoping to take some flight and got hit with a third knee in the ribs before Nakamura suplexed him on the apron. Next was Kinshasa, but Zayn reversed into a Blue Thunder Bomb and went for a Helluva Kick only to be caught with a bicycle knee. Nakamura now hit Zayn with a diving knee to the back of the head. He then hung Zayn on the barricade and dove from the apron hitting him with another knee to the head. Nakamura was then able to finally connect a Kinshasa, but Zayn got his foot on the rope to break the count.

Nakamura was outraged and went for another Kinshasa, however, Zayn side-stepped and hit a Helluva Kick to the back of Nakamura’s head. Zayn followed that with a Helluva Kick to the face to get the victory and he has snapped his recent losing streak.

Winner: Sami Zayn

Chelsea Green vs. Raquel Rodriguez

Green made an early mistake by starting this match with a slap to Rodriguez’s face and Rodriguez responded with a lariat. She then sent Green flying with two fallaway slams followed by a Tejana Bomb to get the win.

Winner: Raquel Rodriguez

Zayn versus Gunther is very intriguing. Credit: WWE

Sami Zayn joined Jackie Redmond backstage to talk about his victory, he said he needed that win to prove to himself that he is still a contender. He said he will find his path to WrestleMania to become a champion again in WWE. Zayn then stopped talking as Imperium passed him and he went face-to-face with Gunther, maybe Zayn has his sights set on the Intercontinental Championship.

Imperium made their way to the ring, Gunther said last week Jey Uso almost had him beat and for the first time he felt the title slipping away. He got lucky and nobodies perfect, but Gunther said he is pretty damn close to it. For over 600 days he has been working to make his Intercontinental title prestigious and he has beaten everybody already. So, he is left to wonder who his opponent at WrestleMania will be.

Judgement Day wants Gunther’s title. Credit: WWE

Gunther said he sees what people are saying, thinking Sami Zayn, Chad Gable or The Miz deserve a shot. However, he believes those are all crazy ideas and Gunther is then interrupted by Judgement Day. Damian Priest let Gunther know that his run is still second best to what J-Day has done and they plan to run the table at ‘Mania. But at WrestleMania, they want to add more gold, including Gunther’s Intercontinental title.

Gunther could not care less and just wanted to know who it’s going to be, Dirty Dom quickly stepped up and said that the title now belonged to them. Gunther laughed in their face which angered Priest, he had to be held back by the rest of J-Day. Priest promised that the IC title is coming to Judgement Day.

Following a commercial break, J-Day was walking backstage when Ripley questioned why Dom would challenge Gunther. He then went to chase after her to smooth things over when he bumped into Andrade who told him he was on his way to meet Adam Pearce to discuss his first opponent.

Andrade needs an opponent. Credit: WWE

Street Fight: Imperium (Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci) vs. New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods)

This brawl began on the ramp and Woods got things going when he broke a trombone over Vinci and Kaiser. New Day hoped to set up a table, but Imperium put a stop to that only to be hit with simultaneous dives from Woods and Kigston. Imperium battled their way back into control when Vinci back body dropped Woods on the apron and Kaiser kicked Kingston in the head. Kaiser now delivered a chair shot to Woods’ back followed by a PK before they hit Woods with a double dropkick with the chair in between.

Kingston now got involved hitting both of his opponents with a diving crossbody and Vinci with a Boom Drop. He then set up a table on the outside, but before he could use it Imperium hit him with a double suplex. Imperium was then beating Woods down with kendo sticks and Kaiser began using a steel chair. They launched Woods into the barricade, so Kingston responded by throwing a chair into Kaiser and Vinci into the steel steps. New Day now took a turn beating Kaiser with kendo sticks before they set up another table at ringside.

Through the table! Credit: WWE

They lay Vinci on the table and Woods dove from the top rope through Vinci, through the table! That was followed by UpUpDownDown, but Kaiser broke up the pin. Kingston hit Kaiser with a suicide dive and New Day then wanted a Midnight Hour, but Vinci pushed Kingston off the top turnbuckle crashing through a table. Vinci then hit Woods in the head with a frying pan and Kaiser threw him head-first into a steel chair before rolling him up for the victory.

Winners: Imperium

Chad Gable entered Adam Pearce’s office to plead his case for why he should challenge Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship at ‘Mania. It seems like everyone wants a shot at Gunther.

Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark vs. Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell

This was the second women’s match of the night to last less than three minutes. Baszler submits Hartwell with a Kirifuda Clutch.

Winners: Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark

Drew McIntyre punched his ticket to WrestleMania at Elimination Chamber when he won the chamber match to earn himself a shot at Seth Rollins’ World Heavyweight Championship on the grandest stage of them all. He sarcastically thanked the crowd for helping him earn this opportunity before letting everyone know he got hurt in the chamber match. Before saying the doctor told him he might not make ‘Mania, so he responded with who do you think I am, CM Punk? Nothing is stopping him from getting to ‘Mania.

A jab at CM Punk. Credit: WWE

He then sat cross-legged in the ring like Punk to let Punk know he drank enough for the both of them on his way home from Australia to celebrate. However, he acknowledged it was time to get serious and called Rollins out to the ring. Rollins said McIntyre finally has the chance to win the world title in front of a capacity crowd, but he will be standing in his way. McIntyre said beating Rollins is no easy job, but beating him is also no easy job.

So, he does not understand why Rollins is sticking his nose into Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns and The Rock’s business. He knows The Bloodline path and doesn’t want them getting involved at ‘Mania, so he is begging Rollins to back off. Rollins agreed, but some risks are worth taking and he has thought about everything. He knows his knee might not be ready, his back may give out or The Bloodline might beat him down. That would mean ‘Mania could be an easy night for Drew, but what if Drew is wrong?

What if? Credit: WWE

Rollins is tired of being selfish, the world title is bigger than them and beating The Bloodline is bigger than them. If they do not take The Bloodline down before ‘Mania it is only a matter of time before they come for the World Heavyweight Championship. So what if Rollins’ knee is 100%, his back is ready to go and The Bloodline is removed from history? That would mean ‘Mania would be Rollins and McIntyre one-on-one with no interference. Rollins said may the best man win, some risks are worth taking.

Nia Jax vs. Liv Morgan

Morgan tried to use her quickness early, but Jax caught her into a Samoan drop before stomping her face into the mat. She then splashed her in the corner before swinging Morgan head-first into the turnbuckle. Jax next wanted a leg drop on the apron, but Morgan moved out of the way and dove onto her with a suicide dive. Morgan kneed Jax in the face and dove from the second rope hitting a missile dropkick. She then went back to the second rope, this time delivering a diving codebreaker.

Despite Morgan getting that offence in, Jax then caught her in mid-air to Samoan drop her into the ring post. Jax then turned around and was attacked by Becky Lynch who came through the crowd. Lynch slammed Jax’s head into the announce table ending the match in disqualification and sending Jax running to the back. Lynch wants a piece of Jax!

Winner: Nia Jax via DQ

Liv isn’t too happy with The Man. Credit: WWE

Lynch later confirmed with Adam Pearce that next week she will get a match with Jax! Liv Morgan then came by showing Lynch her anger and she told Lynch that not everything has to be about her.

WWE then honoured Ole Anderson, who passed away earlier today. Rest in peace, Ole Anderson. Read the SlamWrestling.net obituary here.

Jey Uso was backstage discussing his recent bad luck and how either his enemies from Raw or his own family have cost him a lot of wins. Drew McIntyre then approached him to let him know he deserved all the bad luck. This led to a brawl between the two of them and they had to be separated by officials.

Grayson Waller w/Austin Theory vs. Cody Rhodes

Waller was showcasing his striking early, he hit Rhodes with jabs, forearms, elbows and knees. Rhodes responded with a drop-down slap and a stalling front-drop suplex. He then sent Waller to the floor, while Michael Cole on commentary let us know that Paul Heyman is backstage at Raw right now. Waller got back into the ring with a rolling flat liner and went for a back body drop, but Rhodes flipped out of it.

Rhodes then hit a snap bodyslam and a disaster kick, Austin Theory now tried to distract Rhodes, but he ended up getting hit with a suicide dive. He returned to the ring to drop Waller with a Cody Cutter and a Cross Rhodes to get the win.

Winner: Cody Rhodes

As Cole reported, Paul Heyman now walked out to the ring, Rhodes didn’t want to hear Heyman and screamed that if this is a Bloodline setup they could come and get him. Heyman said the only Bloodline member here tonight is him and the three men with him are police officers there to protect him. He said the only reason he is here is because nobody is expecting an apology, but he needs to keep The Rock’s name out of his mouth.

Heyman arrives on Raw. Credit: WWE

Even though Rock slapped him it doesn’t matter, Roman Reigns sent him to say this message that he cannot just challenge The Rock. Only Rock can make matches like he tried to at WrestleMania, but Rhodes ruined that so he warned Cody to withdraw his challenge to The Rock, or else!

Rhodes said the only reason he hasn’t trashed Rock to the media is because he used to be a fan of his. He came from a family that only ate if tickets were sold and Rock sold a lot of tickets, but he is absolutely done with being nice. Heyman said he had a better idea and tried to get in the ring, but Rhodes stopped him and the police officers surrounded Cody.

Rhodes said if one more person takes a step closer, he will drop every person in the ring. Heyman thought that didn’t apply to him and tried to step forward, so Cody dropped all three officers as Heyman retreated and began calling Reigns and Rock on his phones. Cody said go ahead and call them because The Bloodline isn’t hunting him, he is hunting The Bloodline!

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