WWE Monday Night Raw 3/11/2024

WWE Monday Night Raw 3/11/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/03/wwe-monday-night-raw-342024.html 

We see clips of Gunther and others arriving earlier in the day.

Drew McIntyre is in the ring. He rips Seth for accepting the Mania tag match and calls him a junkie. Drew talks about the history of wrestling, saying it went from carnivals to tv deals and said the next step of the deal is working together with other things. Drew said Seth couldn't resist to get involved with The Rock. He said at Mania, they will have a champ they could be proud of in Drew.

Seth Rollins comes out. He said he didn't forget about the claymore kick Drew gave him. He said he should give him one now. Drew said he wants to tell Seth he was right. Drew said that Seth told him he has to get over The Bloodline at their last match. Drew said he took Seth's advice and did it for the title. He said he gave Seht the same advice, but Seth didn't take it because he only cares about himself.

Seth said he reminds him of Punk. He said he thought Punk was the biggest hypocrite until he met Drew. Seth said he thinks Drew would like Bloodline to interfere at Mania and get help taking the title from Seth. Seth said it won't happen though. He said he and Cody will beat Bloodline on Night 1. He said he will pin him on Night 2. Drew said he won't let Seth provoke him. He said he will beat him at Mania. Seth talked about his injuries and said those worry him, but the thing he worries about the least is Drew. Seth tries to get him to hit him but Drew walks off.

I thought this segment was all over the place and tough to follow.

Chad Gable talks about the gauntlet. He says he's been running the gauntlet since the loss to Gunther. He says his path to heaven runs through a gauntlet of hell. He said it's filled with demons he will have to overcome to earn his date with redemption. He said it's a rare chance to rewrite history and become a beacon of perseverance for his friends and family. He said he will endure. He says this match just means more.

Becky Lynch vs Liv Morgan

Becky takes her down and Liv side headlocks her. Liv shoulders her over then Becky criss crosses her and shoulders her over. Becky slaps her and bangs her head off the buckles. Liv is knocked off the apron with a forearm then Liv gets in and topes her.

We go to break and return. Liv hits shoulders and a step up enzugiri. Becky hits exploders then baseball slides her. Becky hits her off the apron. BL comes off the top and takes a codebreaker. They trade shots and Liv does a springboard codebreaker.

They fight on the apron then Liv powerbombs her to the floor while Becky is on the apron. Liv gets some 2 counts off of that then takes a uranage. Liv then rolls out and we go to break again. 

We return and Liv put her in the rings of saturn. Becky rolls through then hiptosses her into an armbar. Liv puts her back in rings of saturn and they trade pin attempts. Liv wraparound ddt's her and hits her oblivion flatliner off the ropes. BL then rolls out.

Liv comes off the 2nd rope. BL catches her with a uranage and wins it.

I thought they did too much here with Becky being able to survive a powerbomb on the floor. It wasn't a bad effort otherwise though and they got a bunch of time here, going through two commercial breaks.

Rhea Ripley comes out. Liv tells her everything she loves will be hers.

Rhea congratulates Becky. She asks if it was worth beating Liv. She said Becky gets in fights every week, leaing everything hse has and said we are getting closer and closer to Mania. Rhea said Becky doesn't do it for her family, she just wants to prove she's the best here. She said Becky knows she is better than her. She said if Becky doesn't step into Mania at 100%, she will not be The Man, just a disappointment.

Becky said she planted a seed of doubt in her that has grown into a tree. She said she's good if people believe in her, but she's great if people doubt her. She said if it has to be her against the whole world, the world doesn't stand a chance.

Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce talk. Nick says at Mania, The Judgment Day will defend their tag titles against 5 teams in a 6-pack ladder match. Pearce said teams will have to qualify to get in and says good luck.

The Judgment Day say they will have to talk about Pearce about this.

Maxxine Dupri and Ivy Nile vs Indi Hartwell and Candice LaRae

Indi armdrags Liv. Liv high kicks her and CL kicks Ivy from the apron. CL and Ivy lariat each other down at the same time. Max high kicks and step up enzugiri's Indi. Max dropkicks her and splashes her. Max tries a reverse caterpillar but CL gets in the way. CL tells her she looks stupid and asks if she will really try that on her. CL said people boo her because she doesn't belong here. CL said it's a good thing Max's dead brother isn't here to see what an embarrassment she's become. Indi then boots Max from the side and pins her.

Well, this took an interesting turn of events here. Now that they are making Max's lack of skill part of the storyline, it might help with some of the reactions and it plays off an issue that we know is true.

Max looks upset after.

Aldis and Pearce talk in the back. Judgment Day walks in and asks what is going on. They aren't happy about it and Finn says he doesn't like ladders. Pearce says it's the biggest Mania of all time and they can cement their legacy with a win. Priest said they are the champs and already the best team. Pearce and Aldis talk about getting ideas for this and Pearce mentions talking to Miz and Truth. Priest gets mad and said they want Miz and Truth tonight. Pearce says they aren't here and R-Truth walks in. Truth said that's on Monday, then Pearce tells him that is Monday. Priest then tells Pearce to make the match.

Michael Cole interviews Cody Rhodes. He asks why Cody slapped Rock. Cody said he doesn't know if Rock really is his boss, but it feels good to slap his boss. He said Rock was a wrestler before he became a celeb and said the slap was a receipt. Cole says maybe Seth wants to be the one to end Roman's streak and asks how Cody can trust him. Cody said people change. Cody said Cole was sitting in a plastic box wearing a Syracuse outfit and Cody said he smashed the throne of someone he works with now. Cody said if he has to go to war with anyone, it's Seth.

Cody said the story isn't about Roman's title and himself anymore, it's about the fans following him. Cody talks about his family. He said he and Roman aren't in the 3rd inning, they are in the last inning. He said Cole will get to say soon for the first time that a Rhodes is the undisputed champion and will get to say that Cody Rhodes finished the story.

Ricochet does a video saying he returns tonight to take something that was taken from him. He said he has always known where he wants to be. He said after wins the gauntlet match, he will be at Mania. He said his road to Mania starts tonight.

JD McDonagh said he's one win away from Mania. JD says to never bet against an ace.

Becky and Liv shake hands in the back. Nia Jax then bowls them both over. Liv is sent into boxes then Becky is uranage'd through a table.

WWE Women's Tag Titles - The Kabuki Warriors (c) vs Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark 

SB and Zoey do an inset. They said they have torn through the tag division like no one else. They said they will tear the limbs and titles off The Kabuki Warriors. Zoey said unlike Damage Ctrl, they can run business on their own. 

Zoey headflips out of a lariat, rolls backwards and is basement dropkicked. Zoey flips over Asuka in the corner then dropkicks her. SB hits kicks on Asuka then Asuka returns the kicks. SB is sent into the ropes, goes over Asuka then is lariated by Sane.

SB germans Sane then Zoey baseball slides Sane. Zoey springboard dives outside onto both opponents. We go to break and return. Zoey hits lariats and a flying forearm on Sane. Zoey high kicks her and splashes her. Zoey is in tree of woe and Sane top rope double stomps her.

SB and Asuka trade shots. Asuka codebreakers her so Sane can hit a blockbuster. SB is sandwiched on a double team sliding knee + clothesline. SB high kicks Asuka then Asuka germans Zoey. Zoey superkicks Sane then Sane takes a Z360. SB running kneelifts Sane for 2.

Zoey superkicks Asuka then misses a plancha. SB puts Sane in the choke then Dakota Kai grabs SB's leg. Sane urakens SB Asuka buzzsaw kicks SB. SB takes a reverse ddt + top rope elbow and is pinned.

It was a pretty good tag for the women. No real botches, they kept it moving and the two teams matched up pretty well.

Judgment Day talk in the back and Andrade El Idolo comes in. Rhea said Dom isn't here tonight and said they can talk about business when Dom is back. Rhea asks if that interests him. He says of course and says to let him know. Finn says he agrees with Dom and Andrade brings a lot to the table. Priest said he wants to focus on the 5 teams at Mania and said it starts tonight by him handling Truth.

Shinsuke Nakamura said the fight is Mania and it's for gold. He tells Gunther not to just sit back and watch but to keep his eyes open. Bronson Reed says these losers are crying about how hard they worked and Reed said they don't know what real hard work is (I doubt that considering Reed's weight). Reed says you deserve what you take and he's taking it all. Reed said he punches his ticket to Mania tonight.

Damian Priest vs R-Truth

Truth raps on his way to the ring. They cut to a graphic and when they return, Truth is knocked down. On the inset, we see that it is from a Priest forearm. Priest stomps on Truth then Truth hits shots in the corner.

Priest asks him what his suggestions are now and hits him. Priest drops him with a forearm then throws Truth out. DIY come out and cheer him on. Priest ends up going into the post then lariats Priest off the apron.

We go to break and return. Priest lifting flatliners Truth. Truth hits flying shoulders then blue thunders Priest. Truth five knuckle shufflers Priest then hits an attitude adjustment for 2. Priest is put in the STFU. Judgment Day come down and beat up DIY. Truth goes up top and dives on everyone outside.

Truth goes back in and takes a big lariat. Priest hits a south of heaven chokeslam and wins it

Truth got a lot offense in on Priest which was surprising. It was a short one here and Priest won as expected. Priest's mouth got busted open here.

DIY and Judgment Day continue the fight after. Ciampa is chokeslammed on the apron and Finn top rope double stomps Ciampa. 

Becky Lynch does a promo from the trainer's room. She challenges Nia next week to a last man standing match.

Jey Uso comes out. Jey said he came to Raw for a fresh start but Jimmy and The Bloodline won't let him go. Jey challenges Jimmy to a match at Wrestlemania. He says he will knock the yeet out of Jimmy's @ss.

We get a Gunther video package on his title reign.

Gunther is interviewed by Jackie Redmond. She asks about him being too confident and underestimating his challengers. Gunther said that's none of his concern. He said he is focused on his legacy. He said he elevated the title to heights never seen before. He said the wrestlers tonight will leave it all out there to fight for a shot at him and he's flattered by it. He said it takes a lot to be in his position and says good luck to the winner tonight.

Intercontinental Title Shot Gauntlet

Leg 1 - Ricochet vs JD McDonaugh

JD wristlocks him then Ric trips him. Ric monkey flips him then hits a nice dropkick. JD is back body dropped over the top. Ric tries a springboard crossbody but JD gutbusters him off of it. They go outside and Ric is sent into the rails. JD tilt-a-whirl backbreakers him then sends him chest first into the buckles.

JD footchokes him on the ropes. Ric hits shots then JD uranage's him. JD standing moonsaults him for 2. JD legdrops him then Ric handspring back elbows him. Ric corner spears him then springboard crossbodies him. JD gets his knees up on Ric's asai moonsault then JD brainbusters Ric for 2.

They trade shots and Ric superkicks him. Ric poisonrana's him then JD standing spanish flies him. We go to break and return. They fight on the apron. JD step up enzugiri's him then Ric death valley drivers him on the apron. They get back in and Ric asai moonsaults him. Ric northern lights suplexes him then flips through into a suplex.

Ric is sent into the post ribs first then JD stomps him. They fight up top then Ric top rope ssp's him to win. JD McDonaugh is eliminated.

Leg 2 - Ricochet vs Bronson Reed

Ric topes Reed before he enters. Ric springboard dropkicks him then fosbury flops him outside. Ric is caught on a springboard and slammed. Ric flips off of him and step up enzugiri's him. Reed half-nelson slams him and sentons him.  Reed top rope splashes him and wins it. Ricochet is eliminated

Leg 3 - Bronson Reed vs Sami Zayn

Reed hits headbutts then Sami moonsaults off the rails on him outside. Reed bodyblocks him. Reed misses a senton in the ring. Sami comes off the buckles and gets uranage'd. Reed elbow drops him. They go up top and Sami hits a sunset bomb to win it off the 2nd rope. Bronson Reed is eliminated.

Leg 4 - Sami Zayn vs Shinsuke Nakamura

Reed hits Sami as Nakamura comes down. Reed then top rope splashes him. Sami rolls up SN as this starts then SN enzugiri's him. SN flying kicks him over the announcer's table.

We go to break and return. SN hits kicks on Sami then step up enzugiri's him. Sami blue thunders him for 2. SN spinning heel kicks him then axe kicks him in the back of the head. Sami hits a helluva kick and pins him. Shinsuke Nakamura is eliminated. 

Leg 5 - Sami Zayn vs Chad Gable

Gable hits germans then rolls into an ankle lock on him. Gable puts the ankle lock on him outside and is pushed into the steps. We go to break and return. Gable top rope exploders him for 2. Gable does a top rope moonsault but Sami gets his knees up.

Gable hits forearms on Sami and they hockey fight. Gable ankle locks him. Sami exploders Gable into the buckles then Gable ankle locks him again. Gable germans Sami then Sami helluva kicks him. Gable hits crossfaces then delayed germans him for 2. Gable has the ankle lock on and Sami rolls him up. Sami wins it.

Gable picks up Sami after and Sami hugs him. Gunther then comes out.

It was a gauntlet, so instead of getting 5 full-length matches, we got 1 full length match, 1 mostly full length match and 3 short matches. It doesn't have to be this way of course, but it was. Some of it was entertaining but it didn't reach its full potential and the ending of Gable losing wasn't good.

I would have bet my money on Gable winning this. Gable's whole direction for months has been going after Gunther and that match happening at Mania would have made a lot of sense. There was no dirty finish here and Gable lost fair and square, pretty much stopping any claim he might have had to that one. They also had Gable do some heelish stuff here and I really hope that's not where this is going.

You may remember me being critical of Owens leaving Raw months ago. I think the effects of that lead up to this. It pretty much meant Sami was going to be a singles guy. He's fine at it, but WWE is never going to push him as a singles main event star long term like Roman or Seth. You can just tell by his history - they see him as a Rey Mysterio type of guy who might only hold the title for a short time at most. There was no way he was making either Mania title match this year due to this, so the next option is a tag (with his main partner now being off the brand) or an IC/US Title match. I don't think either of those titles are really a step up for Sami. I don't expect Sami to beat Gunther at Mania, and I won't be shocked if he ends up being turned heel by next year when he inevitably goes through the "you can't be the top guy, but we'll tease it > IC Title or Tag Titles program > face/heel turn".

Overall thoughts: As I said last week, Mania is basically set. The show could be held tomorrow and everything would be in place and ready to go. But we have 3 more weeks or so.  So there's going to be limited storyline advancements until then and WWE's basically going to spin their wheels until it comes. It wasn't the most loaded show ever as there was no Cody, Seth, Gunther or Drew in action and the secondary main eventers took over the main event. And that's what I'd rate this show - a secondary rating like a "B" or like a 6 out of 10.