The landscape of Monday Night RAW underwent a seismic shift on Sunday night at Elimination Chamber. The Miz successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on Drew McIntyre to win the WWE title. This was after Drew survived the chamber and then took an unmerciful beating at the hands of Bobby Lashley, who lost his United States title earlier in the evening to Riddle. Will Miz actually be the WWE champion at WrestleMania? Miz may not be the WWE champion by the end of tonight. It’s time to head unto the ThunderDome.
Miz TV
New WWE champion, the Miz, kicks off the show with an introduction from partner, John Morrison. Miz gloats over his win, but what sticks out is the fact that he has been in WWE for 16 years! And he is now a two-time grand slam champion on RAW.
It doesn’t take long for the man responsible for Miz’s win to show his face. Bobby Lashley joins the champ in the ring with MVP at his side, who points out the Lashley wrecked Drew McIntyre for him. Miz thanks MVP and Lashley, but wants to celebrate some more. Lashley wants to collect on the debt that Miz owes him and he wants to collect now. Miz claims he is too busy to defend the title right now. Lashley made a deal and Miz has one hour to come to his senses.
Lucha House Party congratulate Riddle on his US title win, but he just wants to talk about his first Call of Duty: Warzone win.
Riddle vs. John Morrison – Non-Title Match
Riddle catches Morrison in a triangle choke, but John is able to reach the bottom rope to break the hold. Riddle blocks everything that Morrison throws at him, until he gets a thumb in the eye. Riddle is knocked to the floor; Morrison flies over the ropes to take out Riddle. On the apron, Riddle suplexes Morrison.
After a commercial break, Morrison blocks a Bro-ton. Riddle kicks Morrison in to the corner, following with forearm shots. John ducks the PK and avoids a standing moonsault. Riddle keeps the pressure on with a floating Bro. In the ring, Riddle hits a German suplex and bridges into a pin. Morrison kicks out. Riddle goes up top, but Morrison hits a Spanish fly from the corner. Morrison looks for Moonlight Drive, but Riddle counter with a Bro to sleep. Morrison attempts Starship Pain, but Riddle counters; hitting the Bro Derrick. Riddle counters and gets the pin.
Winner via pinfall: Riddle
Rhea Ripley is coming to RAW!
If you missed it, the 24/7 champion, Bad Bunny, was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live.
Bad Bunny tells Sarah Schreiber that with Damien Priest at his side; this is just the beginning. Bunny spots R Truth sneaking around and calls him out. Priest isn’t amused with Truth’s antics and is able to scare him off.
Adam Pearce tells the Miz that he has to take on all challengers. Miz knows that; he just doesn’t want to take any on right now.
The New Day vs. RETRIBUTION
Kofi and Woods have their hands full with Mace and T-Bar, the biggest members of RETRIBUTION. Woods trash talk Ali at ringside, and immediately gets blasted by T-Bar. Kofi makes a tag, coming in off the top turnbuckle. Mace bashes him into the canvas and T-Bar connects with a big boot. Woods is kicked off the apron and Kofi gets double teamed. Ali orders T-Bar to tag in for another double team on Kofi. Woods low bridges T-Bar, allowing Kofi to hit Mace with Trouble in Paradise. He then hits Trouble in Paradise on T-Bar and covers to get the pin.
Winners via pinfall: The New Day
After the match, Ali rips into his followers again, calling them failures.
It’s been an hour and Miz needs to make a decision. Adam Pearce is in the ring to mediate, as Lashley is ready for a match, while Miz shows up in his suit. The WWE champ has decided that he needs more time. That is not what Lashley wanted to hear. Miz tries to hide behind honor and respect of the title. MVP reminds him that he doesn’t have a deal with any other superstars. Miz pleads he that he needs more time. Miz wants to be at his best, which is why he needs more time. At least a week. Then he hears the roar.
Braun Strowman stomps to the ring. He wants a championship match, claiming that Pearce and Shane McMahon have it out for him. Shane-O-Mac may have something to say about that. And here he is. Shane tries to explain that Elimination Chamber was for ex-WWE champions only. Strowman throws a tantrum, demanding a match tonight. Shane shoots him down, so Braun wants to take on Lashley, then. Shane likes that idea. Adding that if Strowman wins, next week will be a triple threat match for the WWE title. Where’s Drew in all this? It doesn’t matter, as Lashley takes out Strowman with a chop block.
Lucha House Party vs. Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander – Tornado Tag Team Match
Benjamin and Alexander bring the hurt to the House Party. MVP shouts encouragement from the announce position. Lince Dorado shuts down a Nueralizer attempt by Alexander, but can’t take advantage. Shelton Benjamin tosses Dorado into an elbow from Cedric and then hits Paydirt. He covers and gets the win.
Winners via pinfall: Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander
Damien Priest w/Bad Bunny vs. Angel Garza
Garza tries to surprise Priest at the bell, but eats a huge clothesline instead. Garza drops Priest into the middle turnbuckle, talking trash to Bad Bunny. He locks in a camel clutch and then stomps on Priest’s back. Garza applies another camel clutch. Priest powers out of the hold. He kicks Garza in the face and then claps his head. Garza hits the mat and Priest delivers the Broken Arrow. Garza kicks out, retreating to the apron.
Garza sends Priest over the top rope with a clothesline and then focuses on Bad Bunny. He invites him into the ring. Bunny walks up the steps, allowing Priest to get back in the ring. He lands a spinning heel kick and follows with Hit the Lights. Priest covers and gets the win.
Winner via pinfall: Damien Priest
After the match, several superstars run down to get their hands on Bad Bunny. Damien Priest makes sure that doesn’t happen, but Bunny can also protect himself, tossing Drew Gulak out of the ring.
Randy Orton talks about failure, not something he is very familiar with. These days, though, he has experienced a lot of failure. Orton wants to know what the distraction is. The Fiend was a distraction and he lit him on fire. The Fiend is not coming back, no matter what some think. Orton can’t focus on the WWE title because of Alexa Bliss. After a quick video of Bliss, we cut back to Orton throwing up black bile and running off.
Charlotte Flair and Asuka vs. Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler – Non-Title Match
Jax and Baszler were able to defend their titles last night. Asuka was supposed to face Lacey Evans, but with Evans having to bow out, the match was scrapped. I guess WWE couldn’t find a replacement. Asuka locks in an octopus on Shayna in the middle of the ring. Baszler breaks free. Flair tosses Shayna out of the ring and drop kicks Jax to the floor.
After a commercial break, Asuka rolls out of the elbow stomp and nearly gets a pin. Flair tags in, kicks Baszler into the corner. Jax tags in and Flair has a clothesline for her. A big boot takes out Baszler on the apron, but she leaps right into a power bomb from Jax. Jax whips Flair in the corner, who takes the opportunity to take out Baszler. She follows with a sunset bomb. Baszler makes a tag, but is locked in the figure four. Jax breaks the hold with a leg drop.
Asuka makes the hot tag. She drop kicks Baszler and then uses hip attacks on both Baszler and Jax. Nia mistakenly splashes Shayna, allowing Asuka to apply the Asuka lock Jax. Shayna breaks the hold with a kick and looks for the Kirifuda Clutch. Flair comes to help, but accidently kicks Asuka. Jax hits a leg drop on Asuka and covers to get the win.
Winners via pinfall: Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler
Sheamus vs. Jeff Hardy
Sheamus takes down Hardy with a back elbow and then steps on his face. Sheamus is looking to beat on someone tonight and that someone is Hardy. Jeff doesn’t go down easy, though, taking out Sheamus on the apron with a low kick. He follows to the floor, crushing Sheamus into the security barrier.
After a commercial break, Sheamus is just beating on Hardy in the ring. He hits back to back to back Irish Curse backbreakers. Hardy with a jawbreaker, but Sheamus blocks the Twist of Fate. Hardy sends Sheamus crashing into the ring post and hits Whisper in the Wind. He follows with an inverted atomic drop, but Sheamus blocks the splash. Hardy gets a boot up in the corner and hits a splash from the middle turnbuckle. A mule kicks sends Sheamus into the corner, but the slingshot kick is block. Hardy hits the Twist of Fate and goes up top. Hardy has to bail out. Sheamus blocks another Twist of Fate; then Hardy ducks a Brogue kick. Hardy with a rolls up, Sheamus kicks out and hits a knee strike. He follows with a Brogue kick and covers to get the win.
Winner via pinfall: Sheamus
Backstage, Charlotte Flair confronts her dad. She can’t focus with this Lacey stuff and it wasn’t funny that he pretended to be the father of Lacey’s baby. Charlotte is trying to protect the family name and she begs Ric to go home. He tries to explain that he saw potential in Lacey. He was trying to expand the Flair brand. Charlotte doesn’t see it that way. She feels that Ric is trying to take the spotlight.
Naomi and Lana vs. Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke
The Women’s Tag Team champion watch from the back, as Rose stomps Lana in the corner. Lana fights to get the tag to Naomi. She takes out Dana on the apron and teams up with Naomi to hit a face buster on Rose. Naomi covers and gets the win.
Winners via pinfall: Naomi and Lana
AJ Styles w/Omos vs. Ricochet
Styles runs right into a drop kick and rolls to the floor. Ricochet drops an elbow in the ring. Styles floats over on a suplex and hits an exploder into the turnbuckle. Ricochet shoots off the ropes into a drop kick. Styles kicks Ricochet in the corner, but gets caught. Ricochet beats AJ into the corner. Styles slows him down with throat strike and then drops him on the top rope. Ricochet counters into a pin, but Styles kicks out. Ricochet bridges a suplex into a pin, but only gets two. Styles rolls away from the 630 and catches Ricochet with a knee strike. AJ hits the Styles Clash and covers to get the win.
Winner via pinfall: AJ Styles
After the match, Omos picks up Ricochet, slamming him to the mat. AJ approves.
Braun Strowman vs. Bobby Lashley w/MVP
WWE Champion, the Miz, joins the commentary team for the match. Lashley takes Strowman off his feet with a slam. Braun crushes Lashley in the corner and dumps him over the top rope to the floor. The Strowman Express makes a line for Lashley, but he dodge the big man. Braun crashes and burns into the ring steps. Back in the ring, Bobby hits a flatliner, but can’t get the pin. Lashley tries to apply the Hurt Lock, but Braun may be too big to lock it in. Strowman takes down Lashley with a clothesline and crushes him in the corner. He hits a power slam, but Lashley kicks out. Lashley floats over Braun and hits him with a spine buster and follow with a spear. Lashley covers and gets the win.
Winner via pinfall: Bobby Lashley
After the bell, Lashley hits Braun with a chop block and then applies the Hurt Lock. Strowman is out. Miz hits the ring, looking to nail Lashley with the WWE title, but Bobby catches him. Lashley lays out the champ with a spear to end the show. See you next week in the ThunderDome.
