WWE Monday Night Raw 3/25/2024

WWE Monday Night Raw 3/25/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/03/wwe-monday-night-raw-3182024.html 

Cody Rhodes comes out to talk. He said Roman said a lot and tries to get the crowd to cheer for Pat McAfee and Michael Cole. He said Roman called him a politician. He said he pretends to be the champ because the champ isn't here. He said he hates Roman and said it's okay if Roman hates him too. He said it's his fault Roman and his cousin can't have a wankfest because he won The Rumble. Cody asks the fans to point at the sign with him.

The Rock's music then hits and he comes out. Rock gets in the ring. They stare down, Rock whispers something to Cody then leaves the ring and the segment ends. Okay.

Jackie Redmond tries to interview The Rock in the back. He says to go ask Cody Rhodes.

The Judgment Day are in their hangout in the back. JD said he has Ricochet's number tonight and Rhea tells him to just win, please. Dom says he will make sure things go their way. 

JD McDonaugh vs Ricochet

JD running back elbows him. Ric flips over his back, rolls out of a lariat then headscissors and dropkicks him. JD goes out and Ric fosbury flops JD outside. We go to break and return. Ric hits shots on JD then JD running knees him in the gut. JD uranages him and misses a standing moonsault. Ric handspring back elbows him then jumping knees him.

Ric lariats him off the top then standing ssp's him for 2. Ric step up enzugiri's him then JD standing spanish flies him for 2. JD brianbusters him for 2. Ric hits a 2nd rope poisonrana then a single leg codebreaker. Dom puts JD's leg on the rope to break up the pin.

Ric springboard 450's and JD gets his knees up. We go to break and return. JD sitout powerbombs him then JD hits Kawada kicks. JD yanks him up and takes a canadian destroyer. Ric goes up top and Dom gets on the apron. Ric gets distracted them Dom jumps down, accidentally or on purpose crotching Ric on the ropes. The ref throws Dom out for it.

Ric top rope SSP's a standing JD and gets the win.

They did way too much here and I thought Ric should have won the match via DQ when Dom crotched him.

CM Punk is on the way to the ring with a Chicago Cubs title belt.

CM Punk comes out. He says he will be at Wrestlemania. He said his elbow isn't 100% and he's not medically cleared, but his mouth works. He said he wishes Mania was in Chicago. He said people like to talk about him. He said Pat McAfee had Roman Reigns on his show. He said him and Roman will see each other real soon. He said The Rock hasn't had much to say about him and said it was because he realized 10 years ago that his arms were too short to box with god. He told Drew that if he has a problem, he should handle it face to face like a man.

Drew McIntyre comes out. Punk says to turn off the stupid song and said no one wants to listen to it. He tells him to get in here. Drew is wearing two shirts with Punk on it. He said Punk never drinks or does drugs but spends all his time in rehab. Drew said Punk thinks he hates him but he doesn't. Drew said Punk completes him. He said he thinks of Punk when he needs help getting the last rep in with weights Punk never thought of lifting.

Drew said Punk thinks he should be in his position, but he shouldn't. Drew said he was always the chosen one and ask who chose him. He dares him to say that person's name. Drew said Punk should be the guest commentator for his Mania match and watch Drew win the title with fans in the stadium.

Seth Rollins then comes out. Seth gets the crowd to do his line and said we have now firmly established whose show this is and will be. Seth said you don't get to make decisions about the world title match at Mania when you aren't in it. Seth asks the crowd if Punk should be on commentary during his match with Drew. Seth hints at Punk maybe being the special ref but Punk says he can't be objectively fair with these two.

Seth said he doesn't think about Punk and says he is a non-factor to him. Seth said Punk needs him to have a moment at Mania. Seth said he likes the idea of Punk commentating on his finest hour and says it will be the closes Punk gets to having a title again. He said he needs Punk to stay out of his way. Punk agrees to do commentary at Mania and says he will do something neither one of them could do - make them both interesting.

Punk goes to leave. Drew said Punk doesn't get the last word. Drew said he only cares about the title and says Punk is obsessed with him. He said Punk is Drew's #1 stan. He calls him Phil then Seth superkicks Drew. Seth then curb stomps Drew.

This was a longer segment that wasn't particularly great. They did tease that something is going to happen at least with Punk on commentary and did show that Seth and Punk aren't all buddy-buddy either. 

Shinsuke Nakamura does a taped promo. He said Jey Uso gets his dream match at Mania and it's unfair. He asks what about his dream? He said he will turn Jey's dream into a nightmare.

Ivy Nile vs Candice LaRae

No intro for either girl here. Ivy flying kicks her then delayed suplexes her. CL pulls Ivy in the middle rope and Ivy goes out. CL hits mounted shots on her then throws her out again. Maxxine gets on the apron and CL knocks her off of it.

CL holds her knee in pain and ends up using the ropes to pin Ivy, faking the injury. CL goes to celebrate with Indy after and Indi isn't thrilled.

This was short and really only existed to get LaRae a cheap win.

The New Day and DIY talk in the back. Both gets digs on each other about Wrestlemania. Truth and Miz walk in. He says tonight's New Day vs DX (DIY) match will be the best match ever. Truth says him and Miz will be on commentary for this. Truth confuses McAfee for JBL.

Jey Uso talks about Wrestlemania IX with Yoko winning the title and The Headshrinkers vs The Steiners. 

The New Day vs DIY

Kofi takes a back elbow from Ciampa then flips out of a monkey flip. Kofi dropkicks him. Kofi takes a double team and is pulled into a lariat. Johnny takes a fameasser from Kofi then Kofi stomps Johnny in the corner. Woods stomps Johnny in the corner as well. Ciampa takes a double superkick then DIY takes low dropkicks in the corner.

We go to break and return. Ciampa hits running lariats on both New Day members then double lariats them. Kofi takes a double team in the corner then Johnny hits an assisted shiranui on Woods. Johnny topes New Day outside then Judgement Day come out. Priest boots Johnny in the chest and they beat up all of the people in the match. The match is thrown out.

What we got of this wasn't bad with a fast pace.

Ciampa is thrown into the post shoulder first and Dom frogsplashes Johnny. Miz gets in and beats up Finn. Woods takes an elevated flatliner and Priest chokeslams Miz. Truth is on commentary the whole time then Judgment Day come for him. Truth said he's not fighting tonight and calls for commercial break. Truth is thrown in and gets the edge on the heels. Truth then takes a razor's edge. Finn top rope double stomps Truth.

Jackie Redmond interviews Cody Rhodes and wants to know what Rock said. Cody said it was something he's rather not repeat and was a promise Rock can't keep.

They aired a commercial for a new WWE show called WWE:Next Gen.

Gunther is interviewed. He said Sami Zayn doesn't believe he can beat him at Mania. He said the fans don't believe it either and said he doesn't think Sami can beat Bronson Reed tonight. Gunther is asked if he will beat out there for that match and he said he doesn't think Sami will beat Reed tonight.

Andrade vs Giovanni Vinci

We only got a partial entrance for Andrade and no entrance for Vinci. Vinci pie faces Andrade and gets chopped. Andrade is thrown into the ropes then poses on them. Vinci springboards into a dropkick from Andrade. Andrade top rope moonsaults him outside.

Andrade then top rope moonsaults inside into a standing moonsault when Vinci moves. Andrade hits three amigos and corner face kicks him. Vinci hits a stiff crossbody. We go to break and return.

Andrade hits chops then dragon screws him. Andrade flying forearms him then corner meteora's him. Vinci lariats him over then Andrade spinning back elbows him. Andrade hits a twisting double underhook suplex and wins it.

It was okay for what it was but Vinci didn't really need to take this loss and I don't think it did much to get Andrade any more over. The guy couldn't even get a full entrance here.

Rhea Ripley and Dominick Mysterio come out. Rhea said she feels like a certain someone isn't giving her full attention. She said Becky fights week after week.

Becky comes out. She complains about Becky coming out to confront her after she wrestlers long matches. Becky says she never wrestles on Raw anyway. Rhea said she doesn't have to do that in order to get fans attention and said she can get people to eat up her photos and videos posted online. Becky said Rhea posts her @ss on the internet for attention, but she busts her @ss night in and night out. Becky said there will always be someone newer and hotter. She said this business is about skill, merit and survival.

She said Rhea hasn't experienced not being the chosen one but she will give her that experience. Rhea said Becky is a survivor and says she's a cockroach. She said she's hard to kill but it's not impossible. She said she wants to leave her alive so Becky can sit on her couch and watch Rhea do what she does. She said she wants Becky's daughter to make Becky listen to Rhea get called mami.

Becky said if she mentions her daughter again, it will be the last word she ever says. Becky says there is nothing respectable about Rhea and Rhea knows if she throws the first punch by attacking her, there is no going back. Becky said neither of them will be the same again at Mania.

Dom holds Becky back and Becky punches him out. Becky and Rhea then fight then Rhea boots Becky. Becky is thrown into the post. Rhea helps out Dom after then Becky jumps on them off the steps. They fight in the aisle and Becky pounds on Dom again.

I'm not a fan of the women knocking out and beating up the guys. It's not believeable, the men aren't really allowed to hit back and it just normalizes intergender stuff that I don't want to see. It's a real shame they did this because it was a good segment otherwise.

Sami Zayn and Chad Gable talk in the back. Chad wants to talk about last week. Sami said it's fine he and Gunther don't think he can beat Gunther. He said tonight is about making Gunther eat his words. Chad said Gunther wants Sami to get his focus ruined. He tells him to get his head out of his @ss. Sami says he's right and said he knows what he needs to do. They shake hands.

Sami Zayn vs Bronson Reed

Sami side headlocks him then is shouldered over. Sami throws Reed out then tope con hilos him. Sami crossbodies him off the top but is caught. Reed bodyblocks Sami then hits a big chop, sending him out. Reed shoulders him off the apron. We go to break and return.

Reed slams Sami then elbow drops him. Sami hits a lariat and chops. Reed chops back then Sami springboards over him and lariats him. Gunther comes out then Reed headbutts him. Sami rolls Reed up for 2. Sami goes for a slam but can't lift him. Sami tornado ddt's Reed then looks at Gunther. Reed lariats him and sentons him. Reed top rope splashes him and gets the win.

Reed winning was a big surprise here. I didn't see that happening at all. It was a decent big man vs little man match and I'm curious as to what the fallout is for this. Reed's nose got busted open during this.

Jey Uso does a promo on Shinsuke Nakamura. He says SN has been sleeping on him for too long. Solo Sikoa then comes in with Jimmy Uso. They stare him down and Jimmy says "no yeet". 

Sami throws stuff in the back and throws a fit. Chad Gable comes up to him. Sami said he let Gunther get in his head and said he knew what Gunther was doing. Sami asked how did he let this happen. Chad said this is what Gunther does. Chad says it's more than physicality with Gunther, it's mental. He said he needs a different approach and said if it's a different approach he wants to talk about, then they can talk.

Jey Uso and Seth Rollins talk in the back. Seth said something don't feel right. He said Cody and him have Jey's back and to get that win. 

Jey Uso vs Shinsuke Nakamura

SN backs Jey up then Jey hits punches in the corner. Jey uppercuts him and SN rolls out. Jey goes for a tope but is kicked on the attempt. SN axe kicks him then Jey hits the post on a missed splash. SN running knees him while he lays on the top buckle. We go to break and return.

Jey hits shots on SN then Jey superkicks him. Jey hits an uppercut then spinning enzugiri's him. SN sliding germans him off the 2nd rope and Jey hits a superkick. SN kinshasha's him in the back of the head.

Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa come down. Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes come down and fight with them. Solo is sent into the post and lariated over the rail. Drew McIntyre comes down and sends Seth into the post. Drew future shock ddt's Seth on the floor.

SN takes a superkick from Jey then Jey spears him. Jey then picks up the win.

I liked them tying the various Mania matches in this. Nakamura and Jey worked together better than I had thought they would and I'd like to see a longer version of this. What we got was fine, but it needed more time.

Cody Rhodes and Jimmy Uso are fighting in the back. Jimmy's head is banged off boxes then he is thrown into the arena door. Cody bangs Solo's head off a table then is hit from behind from Rock. Rock bangs Cody's head off a table and says "look at you now". Rock throws a trash can at Cody then throws him into boxes. 

Cody is thrown into a rail and has another trash can thrown at him. Rock takes Cody outside the arena and says it's perfect. He said The Rock's got your attention now, doesn't he? It's raining outside and Cody's shirt is ripped. He's on the ground and Rock foot shoves him over, telling him to get up. Rock asks if he wants to be a hero and sends him into Cody's truck several times.

The Rock talks trash and gets bleeped out. He says it didn't have to be like this but Cody stuck his nose in Rock's business. Cody is busted open and Rock punches him. Cody's head is banged off his truck and Rock calls out Mama Rhodes. He slaps Cody and shows his weightlifting belt which says "Mama Rhodes" on it. He tells her he will put Cody's blood on it. Rock then wipes Cody's blood on it. Rock says to look at your boy. Rock says Dusty didn't know about hard times but Cody will know about hard times.

Rock is bleeped out again and Cody is sent into his truck again. Rock says it didn't have to be this way but now this is the only way.

It was a good segment and it was nice to see some blood after years of no real worked blade jobs on TV. It definitely helped this angle out, as did the rain. The Rock came out looking real big and bad.

The bad news is that again, Roman/Cody is put on the backburner for the tag match. That feud is dying a slow death and really is becoming quite the afterthought, which is a shame. There's no time left to fix it either as Mania is only 2 weeks ahead and there's only one Raw and two more Smackdown's. There's some people online who think Cody is not winning the title at Mania and if I wasn't going to put Cody over at Mania, I'd let the feud die down like they are here. I really just can't figure out why Roman wasn't out here either. He's not The Rock. There's no excuse for him missing these shows.

Overall thoughts: The last segment was great and really helped out the show, but I can't help but think that something is going on with Cody/Roman. It's not getting much focus, time is running out and there is just something off here. As for the rest of the show, I liked the main, I liked Sami/Reed and I didn't really like JD/Ricochet. Punk's segment wasn't a real hit while Rock's was. We never found out what Rock said to Cody either, making that a waste of time. As I've been saying the last few weeks, Mania is set and WWE is basically just filling time for the most part until it comes. I think the announcers even outright admitted that at one point here too.