WWE Monday Night Raw 3/8/2021

WWE Monday Night Raw 3/8/2021

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2021/03/wwe-monday-night-raw-312021.html

The Hurt Business was interviewed in the back. Bobby said he was happy and had been through a lot. He said he is not a normal man but "the almighty". He said it took 16 years to get here. He said Miz has rematch and he will set an example. He said he will walk into Mania with the title and "The Almighty era has begun".

Miz came out with John Morrison. He said he expected to get beaten up last week, but not lose his title. He said Shane McMahon pulled a fast one on him  and said he has done a lot for WWE without gratitude. He said he wasn't feeling good last week and said he did defend his title as promised when he was counted out. He said it was unfair that he had to defend his title twice last week. He said he would regain the title tonight in their rematch.

Lashley was shown walking in the back.

WWE Championship - Bobby Lashley with MVP vs The Miz with John Morrison

Lashley had a bunch of new "Almighty" graphics here and a new tron. Miz rolled out early but got caught by Lashley with a delayed suplex. Drew was seen watching in the back. Lashley speared the post hard early then got driven into the post but came back by lariating Miz on the floor.

We went to break and came back with Miz taking a big clothesline. Miz went for his corner clothesline but got caught and thrown across the ring. Miz got fireman's carrried into the post with his head hitting. Lashley hit a flatliner then pounded on him. Miz then took a high spinebuster and then tapped out to the hurt lock. This match made sense with Miz evading and moving and Lashley using big power moves against him.

Drew McIntyre was interviewed in the back. Drew called out Bobby, saying he screwed himn out of the title then Sheamus jumped Drew. Drew got thrown into the wall and various boxes and Sheamus said this wasn't over.

We got a Rhea Ripley package as she is coming soon.

Drew ran up to Pearce in the back and said he wants a No DQ match with Sheamus as soon as possible. Samoa Joe was really excited about this idea.

Braun Strowman ran into R-Truth in the back. Truth said he needs his own "monstar", confusing Bad Bunny for Bugs Bunny. He apologized for doing various things. Braun interrupted and said he was going to demand Shane McMahon apologize. Truth then tried to do the Men In Black memory wipe thing but failed.

They announce Drew vs Sheamus No DQ for tonight.

Braun was mad at Shane for costing him the tag title last week and said Shane wasn't laughing with him, but at him. Braun said he could snap Shane's neck like a twig if he wanted but also said he didn't want to get fired for doing that. He said he wants respect and demanded Shane gets out here.

Shane and Braun went face to face and Shane said he apologizes. Shane went up the ramp and teased saying something more but left.

Sheamus was shown in the back.

Shane was interviewed in the back. He didn't want to talk about what else he had to say and left.

No DQ - Sheamus vs Drew McIntyre

Drew jumps Sheamus during his entrance. Sheamus gets thrown into the barricades, steps and apron. They trade shots in the ring and Sheamus does a top rope clothesline. Sheamus gets rammed into the steps outside then is thrown over the announcer's table into a chair. Sheamus misses a kendo stick shot then gets thrown over the barricade. Sheamus then gets slammed onto the steps.

Sheamus nails Drew with the kendo stick and gives him the "Dublin Smile" camel clutch. Sheamus takes two overhead belly to belly suplexes and is neckbreakered. Drew hits some kendo stick shots and russian legsweeps him with it. Sheamus bangs Drew's head off the post then he spinebusters him on a table which doesn't break.

We go to break and return with Sheamus and Drew trading shots and Drew gets put in a cloverleaf. Drew gets out and hits a spinebuster. Sheamus goes up top and is superplexed down ofr 2. Sheamus comes back with a white noise and Drew blocks a chair shot and gives Sheamus one of his own. Drew then hits the future shock ddt on a chair for 2. Drew goes for a claymore kick but gets a chair thrown at his head and Sheamus knee's him for 2.

Sheamus gets thrown into a chair that was wedged into the corner and he takes a claymore kick but falls outside. Sheamus hits a small brogue kick on the outside. The two then grab ring steps and ram them into each other with Drew going over the barricade. The ref then calls it off as both men are done.

This was a pretty good match that went a little longer than it needed to and had a bad ending. It was a fun, hard-hitting heavyweight match with the two beating each other up well.

We get a video package on the Fiend/Orton feud. Kevin Patrick interviews AJ Styles with Omos. Kevin is British by the way. AJ said that Orton messing with Bliss was the worst thing he could have done and he mocked him. Orton then came in and wasn't amused. AJ said it is weak that Orton is having his mind messed with. Orton challenged him for tonight and AJ accepted.

The Hurt Business vs The New Day for the titles is announced for next week.

Shelton Benjamin with Cedric Alexander vs Xavier Woods with Kofi Kingston

Shelton slams and backdrops Woods early. Woods and Kofi have a bunch of Mortal Kombat logos on their tights. Woods gets tied up in the ropes and Benjamin does a big knee to his face off the 2nd rope.

Woods comes back and Shelton starts talking to Kofi, but gets rolled up for the suprise pin.

This was a nother match for the most part and a waste of time.

Matt Riddle had his scooter again and was interviewed. He said Retribution won't break his focus but he didn't know where he could park his scooter. The New Day walked in and Riddle asked them to watch his scooter.

Riddle vs Slapjack with Mustafa Ali

Riddle vs Ali is the for the US title next week. Riddle hits a gutwrench and an exploder early. Riddle then sentons him and does a running kick. Ali yells at Slapjack. Riddle gets backdropped from the floor to the apron. Riddle sits on the 2nd rope and gets snap suplexed then Slapjack hits a falcon arrow.

Slapjack hits an awesome dropkick and tries a top rope missile dropkick but is powerbombed. Slapjack comes back with a chest kick for 2. Riddle then wins with a bro-derek reverse styles clash. This was very rushed but it had no time to be boring and was very short. Ali was not happy.

Adam Pearce and Shane McMahon talked in the back. Shane told Pearce to get Braun to come meet him in the ring.

We go to break and return with Braun and Shane meeting up in the ring. Shane's mic breaks and he backs up the ramp. Shane said he had fun last week and struggled to say anything. He said he didn't want to make Braun look stupid. He used some euphenisms for calling someone stupid. Then he eventually kind of called Braun stupid and ran. Braun then chases Shane out the back and Shane has a car speed away. Then Braun leaves and Shane comes back and waves behind him saying "so stupid".

This was one of the worst talking segments I've ever seen. Shane couldn't get any words out and nothing he said made sense. It's like he forgot his lines and was drunk on top of it. Something was super off here and this segment is going to be one that is talked about for a long time. You just have to see this one.

Nia says she has to introduce Reginald. She says Reg is down on his luck and  calls him cute.

WWE Women's Tag Team Championship - Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler with Reginald vs Lana and Naomi

Lana hits a bulldog on Shayna early and Naomi does a jumping split on Shayna. Naomi and Lana hit a double russian legsweep on Shayna. Lana goes outside and Naomi hits a tornillo out of nowhere on Shayna and Nia.
We go to break and return and Naomi hits a dropkick, a rear view and a springboard kick on Nia. She then kick combos Nia and does a short headscissors driver.

Nia runs into Shayna then Reg grabs Naomi's legs off the ropes when she runs. Naomi grabs Reg by the hair and Lana dropkicks Reg. Nia then body blocks Lana into Naomi, taking out Naomi. Nia then hits a stiff powerbomb for the win in another rushed match.

We get some clips of Charlotte Flair on Steve Austin's show.

Randy Orton is told that people in the back are worried about his well being. Orton is surprised by this. Orton says AJ will be introduced to the RKO tonight in a quick segment.

We get another Rhea Ripley promo.

Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose are interviewed. They said they have worked their butts off and are just as ambitious as anyone else. Charlotte then comes in. She said she wants a title oppurtunity at Mania and Dana/Mandy say they do too.

AJ is interviewed again. He said Orton is crazy and he blames it on The Fiend and Alexa Bliss.

AJ Styles with Omos vs Randy Orton

Orton hits some nice punches early on AJ amd AJ takes a hard head bump off the buckles. Orton chases AJ into the ring and gets stomped on but Orton comes back with a back elbow. AJ gets backdropped on the table which doesn't break for the seocnd time tonight then Orton and Omos stare down. AJ then plancha's Orton while Orton is looking at Omos.

We go to break and come back with AJ having the advantage. AJ really takes control over Orton for a little and hits an enzugiri which sends Orton down.  Orton gets put in a chinlock and finally makes a comeback with some punches and a big lariat.

AJ goes for a phenomenal forearm but Orton shakes the ropes and stops it. AJ gets a calf crusher out of nowhere and Orton eventually gets out. orton hits a draping DDT off the middle rope. Orton warms up for the RKO but Omos pulls out AJ. Alexa Bliss then gets on the tron and plays with a jack in the box. She stops it before it finishes and says "not yet". Then she blows out a match which makes 3 of the posts shoot out flames then Orton spits out black goo. AJ then hits a phenomenal forearm to win. Bliss laughs after to close the show.

Another main event ruined by this Bliss/Orton nonsense. This might be the 4th or 5th so far this year. The match was weird with AJ kind of taking over Orton's role for half of it before the bad finish.

Overall thoughts: Drew/Sheamus was good and Miz/Lashley was fine but the Shane/Braun segment was a worst ever segment candidate and the Orton/Bliss stuff continues to suck.