Welcome to the final Raw before Elimination Chamber. The Smackdown superstars are already on their way to Australia, but the Raw athletes are ready for a fight. Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre collide while GUNTHER puts his Intercontinental Championship on the line against “Main Event” Jey Uso.
DREW MCINTYRE DEFEATS CODY RHODES
There is an awesome hype package for Drew McIntyre and Cody Rhodes, usually reserved for a PPV bout. I love these small production changes WWE has been implementing as of late. This was a really great back and forth match with real top guy intensity. Cody planted Drew with a Cody Cutter but only got a two. Drew went for the Claymore but Cody caught him with a Superkick. Both men traded attempts at hitting their finish that ended with Cody hitting a Pedigree. Drew kicked out and caught Cody in mid-air with the Glasgow Kiss. Drew hit the Futureshock DDT but Cody kicked out! Cody hit a super Cody Cutter but just as he was going for the Crossrhodes Jimmy Uso comes down. Cody shakes off the distraction to grab Drew again but oh no its Solo Sikoa with the spike! Drew lines up Cody for the Claymore and gets the win. Huge moment for Drew to hand Cody his second pinfall loss since his return. I love that the Bloodline is not waiting to mix it up with Cody.
ANDRADE VIDEO PACKAGE
We see another video package for Andrade talking about how wrestling is his destiny and his destiny is here in WWE.
BACKSTAGE WITH CODY RHODES & ADAM PEARCE
Cody is in the trainers room when Adam Pearce walks in and lets him know that Jimmy and Solo are out of the building and will pay a hefty fine. Cody says he is good and in comes Seth Rollins. They exchange knowing looks. Seth you gotta be his Shield NOW.
RAQUEL RODRIQUEZ WINS (LAST CHANCE BATTLE ROYAL FOR WOMEN’S ELIMINATION CHAMBER)
The last spot in the Women’s Elimination Chamber is on the line in a battle royal. Raquel Rodriquez is here as a surprise return from injury! This was a chaotic mess as most battle royals are but did a good job of putting the shine right back on Raquel. Just like the Royal Rumble, partners Natalya and Tegan Nox try to eliminate each other, except this time it ends with Natalya eliminating Nox. With the field winding down, Ivy Nile goes off with an impress flurry of offense but she is eliminated by the team of Zoey Stark and Shayna Baszler. The final four consisted of Raquel, Zoey, Shayna, and Michin. Zoey and Shayna eliminate Michin. Raquel catches the knee from Shayna and eliminates her. Despite the help from Shayna, Raquel eliminates Zoey! The bell doesn’t ring and oh my Santino Marella, Chelsea Green was never eliminated. Much like Santino, Chelsea is quickly thrown out by Raquel who wins the last spot in the Chamber. If it wasn’t going to be Jade, having a powerhouse like Raquel should add a lot to the Chamber.
JEY USO PROMO
Walk and talk promo from Jey Uso, short but very sweet where Jey declares he will dethrone the longest reigning Intercontinental champion of all time.
RHEA RIPLEY & NIA JAX SPLIT INTERVIEW
Rhea Ripley and Nia Jax are in separate locations for an interview with Michael Cole. Rhea says this is the first time she gets to compete in Australia while apart of the WWE. Nia says she is twice Rhea’s size and has triple her talent. Rhea promises that Nia will crumble when she finds herself across the ring from the Nightmare in her home country. Could have used a little more heat here, especially since they’ve done such a good job in the previous weeks.
R-TRUTH’S “TRUTHLINE”
Oh my god Jackie Redmond hosts “Truthline” a Dateline parody to find the truth behind R-Truth in the Judgment Day. Truth says the first time he met the Judgment Day was special, “Like the first time John Cena tried on jean shorts.” Truth is really broken up about Damian Priest’s betrayal. He is still very much convinced DIY is DX. As always if you enjoy the Truth stuff then this is a home run.
UFC CHALLENGE IS MADE
Michael Chandler is a UFC Fighter and officially the first one to grab the mic on WWE programming since the merger. Chandler calls out Conor McGregor, I mean why the hell not. I enjoy the UFC but don’t know it well enough to comment on it. Not a bad first integration.
CHAD GABLE PROMO
Chad Gable tells Ivar that it’s Wrestlemania season and its time to get serious. He tells Ivar to leave his crew in the back, and Gable will leave his. It’s time to focus on Chad Gable. Let’s go!!
IVAR PROMO
Ivar answers the challenge and accepts that their match will be straight up one on one. He tells Gable to beware because the Gods have claimed they will go straight through Gable.
THE JUDGMENT DAY DEFEAT D.I.Y. & AWESOME TRUTH
This match devolves into a four on four brawl almost immediately and R-Truth gets his team to do the “suck it” taunt. Truth gets the hot tag and hits the John Cena combo on JD McDonagh including the Five Knuckle Shuffle before Damian Priest pulls him to the outside. They throw Truth into the ring post to stop his momentum. Tommaso Ciampa is a house on fire hitting a corkscrew planca followed by a jumping knee on Dominik Mysterio. Priest goes for South of Heaven but Truth rolls him up into a victory roll for a close two count. Priest grabs him again and hits Truth with the South of Heaven for the win. The crowd was SO hot for this, especially the finishing sequence between Priest and Truth. Man they’ve got something here with Truth and the Judgment Day. That Wrestlemania match is going to blow the roof off of Philly.
SAMI ZAYN INTERVIEW
Jackie Redmond is backstage with Sami Zayn. She asks him about his loss last week to Shinsuke Nakamura and the involvement of Drew McIntyre. Sami says he has been thinking about it a lot but he has to hit the pause button on the feud with Drew. He knows how obsessed he can get and he can’t afford to do that with Wrestlemania season upon us. Sami says he knows it sounds delusional but he feels it in his gut that there is a path for him to be a contender and champion at Wrestlemania. Excellent stuff, really hope it’s Drew, Sami and Seth in a three way.
BECKY LYNCH IN-RING PROMO
Becky is the favorite to win the chamber, and they should do nothing to mess with that prediction. Becky says she’s been lucky to do so many things in her career there are few “new” things for her. But this weekend it will indeed be her first trip in the Elimination Chamber. Becky says both her and Rhea live for wrestling but the way they’ve been living the past year has been different. Rhea has been the focus of the division but Becky has been the one propping up the division. Becky says she represents the greatest threat to Rhea’s championship reign. Becky puts over the competitors in the Chamber match and that brings out Liv Morgan. Liv says she doesn’t care who is the best, this is about her revenge on Rhea. Liv says she was the very last person to defeat Rhea and that brings out Raquel. She says the champion could be Nia Jax, and Raquel is the only woman big enough and strong enough to take on Rhea or Nia. Naomi is here to a great ovation. Naomi says she didn’t come back just to come back. Naomi says she belongs at the top aaand here is Tiffany Stratton. Tiffany says nobody cares about the past. Tiffany says she is the future before she is interrupted by Bianca Belair! This is a really strong field for the Chamber. Belair says she has been at the top for awhile, and she will be staying at the top after the Chamber. Tiffany tells Belair that she peaked last year and for some reason Liv starts a fight with Tiffany and the rest of them start brawling. Nia Jax is here and starts clearing house. She throws Liv into the ring post with a standing Samoan Drop. Nia takes out all of Elimination Chamber participants, very impressive. I enjoyed the parade of opponents segment more than I usually do.
GUNTHER PROMO
GUNTHER says tonight is the greatest night in the career of Jey Uso as he can fulfill his dream of becoming a singles champion in WWE. GUNTHER says tonight when the bell rings he will make Jey understand that Jey doesn’t belong in the main event.
SHINSUKE NAKAMURA PROMO
Shinsuke Nakamura is in his smoke filled red room and tells Sami that fighters fight and they don’t whine. Nakamura tells Sami that if Sami thinks he is an underdog, then Nakamura will keep him there by defeating him again.
CHAD GABLE DEFEATS IVAR
I am all for Chad Gable to run it back with GUNTHER at Wrestlemania if WWE needs to pivot from their original plans. Ivar plants Gable with the double underhook sitout powerbomb but it only gets a two. Ivar misses on the spin kick and that allows Gable to go right after the leg. Ivar misses the crossbody on the outside and gets nothing but the LED barricade. Ivar recovers and WHAT THE HELL. He jumps from the top rope and does the Rey Mysterio sitdown move. That was insane. Ivar tries to finish it off with the moonsault but Gable moves. Gable hits a German suplex on Ivar and then goes for a moonsault of his own which connects. Gable grabs the Ankle Lock and Ivar taps out! The Alpha Academy run out to celebrate with Gable who gets a much needed singles win on the road to Wrestlemaina.
DREW MCINTYRE INTERVIEW
Cathy Kelley is backstage with Drew McIntyre. Drew points out that he was indeed the second person to pin Cody since his return. Cathy asks Drew about the Bloodline’s interference and if he is a hypocrite. Drew says he wanted to beat up the Bloodline (sure brother) but he had to think big picture. Drew says he is doing all of this for Raw and the fans. He is focused on only the World Championship. Complete BS but a great explanation from Drew that has enough truth in it. Best character in WWE by far.
THE NEW DAY PROMO
The New Day is backstage and say tonight Jey Uso becomes the Intercontinental champion, and next week it will be their turn. Kofi Kingston says Imperium tried to end his career, so they are coming for everything. Xavier Woods says it’s been brawl after brawl so next week it will be a Street Fight! That’s going to rule.
GUNTHER DEFEATS JEY USO (WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP)
This is a big one, this feels like Jey could actually win the championship here which is pretty rare for a GUNTHER title defense. GUNTHER is all over Jey earlier, dropping him back first on the barricade and apron. Jey is fighting exactly like someone close to their first singles championship should. GUNTHER may be the bigger and better wrestler but Jey’s heart is second to none. Jey hits a massive dive to the outside that knocks the champion down. GUNTHER has Jey down and is berating Jey (much like Roman would do in their matches) Jey fights back but GUNTHER goes for a powerbomb. Jey slips out of it thought and hits GUNTHER with the spear! It only gets two but Jey is far from done. Jey hits a second spear on GUNTHER, this time from the apron and then a third spear on the outside. Jey ends up right in front of the camera and he looks into it motivated. Jey hits a fourth spear in the ring and then the Uso splash! He has it…but the bell rings. Jimmy Uso is ringing the damn bell. GUNTHER chops Jey and locks in the Sleeper but Jey rolls him up for only a two. Jey dives out and takes out Jimmy. Jey goes back up for the splash but GUNTHER gets his knees up, and then rolls Jey up to retain his championship. My god GUNTHER barely escaped.
Jimmy jumps in the ring and attacks Jey, laying him out with a superkick. Jimmy tells Jey that “no matter how big you get, I’m always the big brother.” Michael Cole makes the point that this is the second singles championship Jimmy has cost Jey. We are fully on the road to Jey v.s. Jimmy, and this was a great way to get us there. What a match between GUNTHER and Jey though, they gave Jey a legitimate visual pin on GUNTHER. That was wild. Couldn’t have been done better.
