WWE Monday Night Raw 2/19/2024
Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/02/wwe-monday-night-raw-2122024.html
We're at the Honda Center in Anaheim California and Cole says there's a big fight feel tonight.
We see clips of Jey Uso and The Judgment Day arriving.
Drew McIntyre vs Cody Rhodes
We got a video package on this one which was nice. They lock up and Cody backs him up. Drew hits shots in the corner. Cody slides through his legs and hits him from the mat. Drew boots him down then hits mounted punches. Drew is thrown out and lands on the floor then Cody gets hit on his tope attempt. Cody dropkicks Drew when he tries to get in and dragon screws him. Cody then puts a figure four on. Drew turns it over and Cody rope breaks. Cody holds his knee on the floor as we go to break.
We return and Drew tilt-a-whirl backbreakers him. Drew pushes Cody's head against the post with his foot and hits shots in the corner. Cody fires up and Drew hits mounted punches and a boot. Cody hits a bulldog then powerslams him. Cody hits a disaster kick for 2 then Cody cutters him for 2. Cody lariats him over the top and goes with him as we go to break.
We return. Cody takes a boot then hits the bionic elbow. Drew spinebusters him then deadlift sitout powerbombs him for 2. Drew gets superkicked then takes a pedigree. Cody springboards and takes a headbutt then Drew hits a future shock ddt. Cody superplexes him then does a double springboard cody cutter for 2.
Jimmy Uso comes down and Cody hits him. Cody grabs Drew then Solo Sikoa samoan spikes Cody. Drew claymore kicks Cody and wins it.
We had two breaks during this so it was hard to rate it. Of what we did see, there was leg work early that was later forgotten. I liked the deadlift powerbomb here. I had a feeling something would happen here as neither guy really should have lost this one and this is the way they got out of it.
Pat McAfee is mad about the finish after.
Andrade El Idolo does a taped promo. He says he's a 3rd generation luchador and had no other choice. He said it's his destiny and said he has many expectations. He said he defines and controls his destiny. He says his destiny is here in the WWE and the era of Andrade El Idolo has begun. It was a little easier to make out what he said this time and they also included some subtitles in a smart move.
Pat and Cole play with the telestrator, complaining about the finish to the last match.
Adam Pearce checks on Cody in the trainer's room. Pearce says Bloodline is out of here and will pay a fine. Cody says he's good. Seth Rollins then walks in, wearing girls clothing as usual. He gives him a look then pats his leg.
Last Chance Battle Royal to Qualify for Elimination Chamber
Raquel Rodriguez returned for this. Dupri got eliminated by Valhalla. Raquel then dropped Val over the top. Xia Li hit kicks on Raquel then was lariated down off the apron, getting eliminated. Alba tornado ddt's Raquel and Isla was booted off the apron by Raquel. We go to break.
We return from break. Natalya and Tegan hug then Natalya throws her out. Tegan did that to Natalya at The Rumble. Zoey hits a superkick on B-Fab from the side then B-Fab is thrown out by Shayna and Zoey. Elektra Lopez eliminates Vega then Michin eliminates Lopez. Vega then pounds on Lopez after. LeRae and Green fight on the apron. LeRae is pushed into the post and eliminated. Indi sees this and tries to eliminate Green for it. Indi gets on the apron and is pulled out by Shayna.
Chance tries to headscissors Stark out but neds up getitng kicked off the apron by Shayna. Raquel blocks a ddt from Alba and throws her out. Raquel and Nat end up on the apron from a hurricanrana and Ivy knocks Natalya off. Ivy hits kicks on Shayna and Zoey. Ivy is then eliminated by Zoey and Shayna.
Zoey springboard dropkicks Michin then Zoey and Shayna eliminate her. Raquel hits lariats on Zoey and Shayna as we hit the final 3. Raquel throws Shayna out. Zoey is put on the apron and face kicked off onto Raquel. Raquel thinks she has it won then Green appears from behind. Green tries to throw her out but is thrown out. Raquel wins.
Well, Raquel winning on her return makes sense. The battle royal was mostly 2 people fighting while everyone else hung out in the corner. It went a little longer than it needed to and was watchable but not great.
Jey Uso says the wait is over tonight and he ends the reign of the longest IC champ ever. He says he will be the new IC champ.
Rhea Ripley and Nia Jax do a split screen interview. Rhea said she doesn't have butterflies. She said she earned and worked for this and hadn't competed in Australia for 7 years. She said she wanted to quit and had to remind herself who she was. She says she's the most dominant woman in the WWE.
Nia said she's twice her size and triple the talent. Nia said mami will go home crying to her mommy when she squashes her. Rhea says Nia's momentum will fade into nothing when she realized she's not good enough. She said she will see her in Perth and walks off.
We get a video on the truth of R-Truth in The Judgment Day. Jackie Redmond said she went one on one to discuss Judgment Day with Truth. Truth said their smiles lit up the room when they fight met, like the first time Cena put on jean shorts.
Truth said Damien Priest broke his heart and he hasn't cried this much since the finale of This is Us. Jackie asks if he will be able to let anyone in again. Truth said he has new friends in DX (who are actually DIY). Truth said he will show they can't silence free speech and keep Nick Mysterio locked away with no access to Facebook.
The Judgment Day are hanging out in the back.
Michael Chandler of UFC is welcomed to the show. He says we are in the presence of the most entertaining UFC fighter on the planet. He says he has Conor McGregor on his mind and tells him to get back into the octagon to settle unfinished business. Well, since Endeavor owns both UFC and WWE, this stuff was inevitable and it began here.
Chad Gable does a promo. He said Ivar has torn down Alpha Academy piece by piece. He said he puts an end to Ivar's academy and starts to build his own. He said tonight is about Chad Gable. Ivar said the gods demand punishment and demand the raid comes to a glorious end. Ivar said he took out the other members of Alpha Academy and accepts Gable's challenge. He said the gods have chosen their path and it goes straight through Chad.
DIY, R-Truth and The Miz vs The Judgment Day
JG = Johnny Gargano
Truth is wearing a poncho as it was raining in Anaheim. JD and Miz each hit some shots and Miz chest kicks him. Everyone hockey fights in the ring and the faces knock Judgment Day out then do "suck it" taunts.
We go to break and return. Finn takes a double team, getting whipped into a lariat. Finn hits corner spears on JG then Priest drops JG with a punch. Priest lariats him over then Finn slingshot stomps JG then bulldog chokes him. JG suplexes Finn and makes the hot tag to Truth. Truth shoulders over JD then blue thunders him. Truth hits the five knuckle shuffle then nails Priest on the apron. JD headbutts Truth out and sends him into the post.
We go to break and return. Ciampa is tagged in and beats up Judgment Day. Ciampa hits running lariats and running corner lariats. Ciampa does a flying double clothesline and bridging ddt's JD. He then corkscrew plancha's JD and knee's Dom who comes off the steps. Ciampa hits a nasty reverse ddt on Finn then JG slingshot spears JD. DOm hits a superkic kthen Miz facekicks him. Finn slingblades Miz then Ciampa and Finn collide in mid-air with crossbodies.
Truth hits a punch flurry on Priest then flying corkscrew forearms him. Truth splashes Priest then Truth hits a scissors kick. Priest misses a splash and Truth hits a jumping flatliner on him for 2. 3 of the faces hit plancha's then Truth hits a leg lariat. Truth rolls up Priest on a chokeslam attempt then has his ears clapped. Priest hits a south of heaven chokeslam for the win.
It was what you would expect with fast paced action and a lot of people coming in and out. It was entertaining for what it was but not super memorable or anything. Truth losing might add to the storyline here. They pulled out the telestrator again after, showing high Truth got chokeslammed.
Sami Zayn is interviewed. He said he has to put the pause button on things with Drew. He said he gets fixated on people and gets stuck. Sami said it's Wrestlemania season and he can't do it. He said he knows there's a path to Mania and he has to find it. He said he didn't get this far by not trusting the feeling in his gut. He says he will be a champion.
Becky Lynch came out to talk. She said she's running out of new things, except her hat. She asks if the crowd likes her hat and says the hat stays. She says she and Rhea will meet. She says she's the best she has ever been right now. She talks about the Elimination Chamber and then Liv Morgan comes out.
Liv said she's a big fan of the hat but not a fan of her explaining why she should face Rhea at Mania. Liv says the Chamber is about her revenge, redemption and her life. She said her and Rhea used to be partners until she turned on her. She said she found success with Raquel until Rhea interfered in their match and cost them the tag titles. Liv then said Rhea injured her shoulder, putting her down for 6 months. She said she was the last person to defeat Rhea.
Raquel comes out. She said there's only person big and strong enough to take on Rhea and Nia and it's her. Naomi then comes out. Becky says welcome back to the tea party they are having. She said she didn't come back just to come back, she has a purpose. Tiffany Stratton comes out. She says it's Tiffy time. She said Naomi left an empty space when she left and she only cares about being the center of the universe. She says she's the future then Bianca Belair comes out. She said Tiffany will never be better than her.
Bianca said she did something none of them have done by winning a chamber match. She said she will continue her undefeated streak and will pin any of them if she has to. She said she will get to Mania and you can't spell Wrestlemania without EST. Tiff says Bianca is so last year. Liv says Tiff just got here and Tiff nails her with a hard forearm. All the girls fight then Nia splashes 3 of them. Nia samoan drops Naomi and rams Liv into the post. Nia throws down Tiff and bodyblocks Bianca. Nia legdrops multiple girls to end the segment.
Gunther says tonight is the greatest night in Jey Uso's career. He can fulfill his dream of being a singles champ in WWE. Gunther says he's the ring general and the greatest IC champ of all time. He said he will show him he doesn't belong in the main event and will have to keep on dreaming.
A boxer named Callum Walsh is at the show. I know more about boxing than most, but I don't know him.
Ivar vs Chad Gable
Ivar boots Chad and Chad gets no intro here. Ivar sits on the top rope and Chad koppo kicks him. Chad dives on him outside off the top. Chad gets on the rail then is dropped on it. Ivar powerbombs Chad on the rail. We go to break and return.
Ivar goes for a slam on the 2nd rope but is flipped over somehow. Chad hits euros and a kick to the gut. Ivar pops him up then tiger drivers him for 2. Ivar sunset flips him. Chad crossbodies him over the ropes and both go out. Ivar crossbodies the ring LED when Chad moves. The LED then has static after. Ivar spinning high kicks him then top rope la silla's him for 2.
Ivar misses a top rope moonsault then Chad delayed germans him. Chad top rope moonsaults him for 2. Chad ankle locks him and Ivar taps out.
The ankle lock finish wasn't that well built up top and I thought they did a little more than they should have here. It was not long enough and rushed a bit.
Alpha Academy celebrates with Chad after.
Drew McIntyre is interviewed. He said Cody is on the run of a lifetime. He said only one person had pinned him up until tonight and the 2nd person is now Drew. He isn't bothered by The Bloodline interfering. He said he wanted to attack them when they appeared, but he was thinking about the big picture. He said he beat Cody tonight, will be LA Knight on Smackdown then will win at the Chamber. He says he's the true workhorse of WWE and our future world champ. Good stuff here.
The New Day do a promo. Woods says Jey walks out tonight IC champ. He says next week it's their turn. Kofi said Imperium tried to end their career but didn't get the job done. They said Imperium has been targeting them for weeks. They said they are the industry standard when it comes to tag team wrestling. Kofi said it ain't over until they say it's over. Woods says it's been countouts, DQ's and various hardcore things. Kofi says next week it's no rules and Woods says they are facing Imperium in a street fight next week. This was a good promo.
WWE Intercontinental Title - Gunther (c) vs Jey Uso
Gunther piefaces him and is slapped. Gunther hits chops and steps on his chin on the buckles. Jey is backdropped on the barricade and he apron. We go to break and return. Jey enzugiri's him then gets chopped coming off the top. Gunther twists Jey's neck and backbreakers him. They go outside and Gunther is back body dropped on the floor. Jey samoan drops Gunther on the announcer's table.
Jey superkicks him in the gut and uppercuts him. Gunther dropkicks him and powerbombs him. Gunther hits a lariat for 2. Gunther crabs him then goes over the top. Jey topes him outside. We go to break and return. They trade shots and Jey is chopped down.
Gunther grabs him by the chin and talks trash. Jey uppercuts him and takes chops. Jey spears him for 2. Gunther chops him on the buckles then underhook suplexes him. Gunther top rope splashes him for 2. They trade shots and Jey spears him. Jey spears him on the apron then on the floor. Jey hits another spear and hitts a top rope splash. Jimmy Uso then starts ringing the ring bell (stolen from The House of Torture). Security kicks Jey out.
Gunther goes for a choke then is superkicked. Jey topes Jimmy outside. Gunther gets his knees up on Jey's top rope splash and pins him.
Jimmy superkicks Jey then says no matter how big you get, I'm always the big brother. Jimmy then hits a top rope splash and then another.
I liked the match but I thought they did too many spears here with Gunther kicking out of 5 of them. I knew Jey wasn't winning but they saved face here by having Jimmy interfere and continued that feud in the process. I've expected Jimmy vs Jey at Mania for a while now and this seems to seal that deal.
Overall thoughts: It was a good Raw. The opener wasn't bad and the main was good. I didn't care for the battle royal but the 8-man tag was decent. The women's chamber segment was fine and Ivar/Chad could have been better.
With his win over Jey Uso, Gunther has officially broken the all time record for most days as champion, shattering the 40 year record from Pedro Morales and his two reigns from 1980-81 and 81-83.
ReplyDeleteYep, he got him! He seems like he will make it through Mania too with Jey being tied up with Jimmy now.
Delete-ProWresBlog