Monday Night Raw
Dallas, Texas
American Airlines Centre
March 29th 2021
Monday Night Raw starts with an opening video recapping the key moments from WrestleMania 37, focusing on The New Day all walking out of Mania with gold, Rhea Ripley defeating Shayna Baszler to become Women’s Universal Champion, Keith Lee winning Money in the Bank and much more is shown before we cut to the opening video for Monday Night Raw!
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HOUSE OF MEMORIES - P!ATD
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Monday Night Raw’s opening video package comes to an end, and we cut to the commentary desk as Michael Cole is sitting down next to a new partner: PAT MCAFEE! The former American Football star acts in normal fashion. He hypes up the show tonight, trying to fire Michael Cole up, who looks a little confused by how hyper he is at first. Michael confirms in the main event, we will have The New Day’s celebration as they celebrate winning the WWE, Intercontinental and Cruiserweight titles on Night 1 of WrestleMania 37!
*LIMITLESS*
The crowd goes wild as Mr. Money in the Bank KEITH LEE, slowly walks out onto the entrance ramp. He has a big smile on his face and lifts his briefcase in the air, noticeably black and gold perhaps an homage to him still being an NXT superstar. The commentary team talks about his surprise appearance in the Money in the Bank ladder match, taking Matt Riddle’s spot and him shocking the world to win the briefcase. Keith Lee stands in the ring with a smile, looking out at the live crowd before speaking.
He asks the crowd, before he gets down to business, to take just a moment of their time to stop what they are doing and bask in his glory! He lifts the Money in the Bank briefcase into the air with a slightly smug smile as the crowd goes wild, impressed with him after his performance last night. He brings the briefcase back down to his side before saying this is a gold ticket. He puts over how the majority of people who have held this briefcase have gone on to become World champions.
He tells the crowd that a lot of them took the cheap and easy way out, something a man without limits doesn’t need to do. He said watching as NXT Champion, he took a lot of pride in seeing how the WWE Champion Big E conducted himself with this briefcase. Keith says that he is a man with integrity and it would be an honour fighting him but there is another option he can take. The crowd starts to do the “YES” chant, which brings a slight smile to Keith’s face.
Keith Lee says Daniel Bryan is one of the best wrestlers in the world and testing himself against that man in the Royal Rumble was a highlight of his career. He says both men are worthy champions and they will get full notice when he makes his choice. Keith finishes the promo saying that until the draft, he is a free agent and will be taking his time to assess the rosters and whilst he won’t cash in for a cheap victory, he confirms he also isn’t patient enough to wait till WrestleMania for his World title, ending the promo as he stands tall in the ring!
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We cut backstage to see KEITH LEE walking through the backstage area when he is stopped for an interview by CATHY KELLEY looking for an interview. She welcomes him to Raw and asks what factors he will be considering before he makes the call on when to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase. Before he can answer, TOMMASO CIAMPA storms past, glaring at Keith Lee before heading to the ring. Keith turns back to Cathy and says he will keep it close to his chest but for now, he might have some other business to take care of.
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We cut back to the ring to see RICK BOOGS standing in the ring ready for action as…
*NO ONE WILL SURVIVE*
TOMMASO CIAMPA STORMS OUT! He gets loud boos from the live crowd as the commentary team says Tommaso seems in an even more foul mood than normal after his loss to Drew McIntyre last night. He steps through the ropes and paces around, waiting for the referee to ring the bell to get the match underway!
Match 1: Tommaso Ciampa vs Rick Boogs
Match summary: Ciampa goes on the attack right away, clobbering her opponent in this match. Boogs tries to get back into the match and goes for some power moves but in the end, Ciampa puts him away with PROJECT CIAMPA!
Winner via pinfall: Tommaso Ciampa (2:09)
Tommaso Ciampa gets to his feet and doesn’t even celebrate the victory, demanding a microphone. He tells the crowd that Drew McIntyre cheated him out of a victory at WrestleMania! The crowd boos Ciampa and Michael Cole is quick to point out that Drew cheated in response to Ciampa’s cheating. Tommaso says he will not let a conspiracy from the top hold him back and he will get his hands on gold even if it means going to the bank. Ciampa tosses the microphone down, bringing the promo to an end as the commentators speculate on what Ciampa has planned next.
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We then cut to the backstage area as AR FOX is shown arriving at the arena. The veteran takes a deep breath before walking inside, but he is stopped for an interview by KEVIN PATRICK. Kevin congratulates him on his victory two nights ago in the Andre the Giant Battle Royal, which AR thanks him for. Kevin then asks him how he is feeling ahead of his Intercontinental title match with Kofi Kingston. AR Fox says he has a lot of nerves but this is the kind of break he has been waiting for his entire career. He looks like he is about to carry on, but stops talking as SWERVE STRICKLAND WALKS INTO THE SHOT!
He has a slight smirk on his face, but it is hiding some anger, having lost the Intercontinental title on night 1 to Kofi Kingston. He tells Kevin he can go and the interviewer wisely does what Swerve says. Both men are face-to-face as Swerve says it has been a long time, which gets a nod from AR Fox. Swerve says he has been trying to get Fox in the Hurt Business and offers his help later tonight, but Fox shakes his head. He tells Swerve that’s not how he does things and plans to win by himself tonight. Fox heads into the arena as Swerve looks on, not happy at his offer being turned down.
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When we return from the commercial break, the camera catches RUBY RIOTT and SHOTZI BLACKHEART in the middle of an argument with each other. Shotzi says Ruby missed out on winning the Money in the Bank briefcase because she was more focused on trying to become friends with Liv Morgan. Ruby shakes her head, saying this is something from her past she needs to correct and she has realized that her best chance of finally getting gold is laying to rest the mistakes of the past! Ruby Riott then storms off, leaving Shotzi in the room and she pulls out her phone to make a call.
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*BUBBLEGUM BITCH*
LIV MORGAN makes her way out, getting a good pop from the live crowd, slapping hands with some of the fans on the way to the ring. She looks to be in some pain, having gone through the Money in the Bank ladder match night 1 of WrestleMania 37. The commentary team says Liv has been on form since coming back to Raw at the Royal Rumble but wonders if the recent interactions with Ruby Riott might be distracting her as of late. Liv Morgan gets passed a microphone from someone at ringside and looks to address the live crowd.
She tells the fans that a couple of years ago, she came to Raw with two women who she thought were her friends: Sarah Logan and Ruby Riott. Liv says back then, she was very naïve to what it was like in this business and thought she had friends for life. People who would always have her back no matter what. Liv shakes her head and says Ruby turned on her when things were not going her way, proving she was never her friend to begin with. Liv pauses for a moment and asks the crowd if they would let someone into their life who did that to them, getting some murmurs from the crowd.
Liv says that’s exactly why she is having doubts, because what is to stop Ruby Riott from doing it to her again? Liv walks around the ring and says, throughout the whole Money in the Bank ladder match, she had to check over her shoulder to make sure Ruby wasn’t going to stick the knife in her back. Liv shakes her head and says she still doesn’t trust Ruby, but she wants to hear what she has to say in this ring right now. The crowd gives a mixed reaction and it’s not too long until…
*WE RIOT*
RUBY RIOTT COMES OUT WITH A MICROPHONE IN HAND! The crowd gives her a mixed reaction as she takes a moment before telling Liv she gets why her former friend doesn’t trust her. Ruby slowly walks to the ring with Liv not taking her eyes off Ruby, who tells Morgan that she thought that getting rid of Liv would help her and Sarah get to gold. Ruby says she realizes now that the real weak link… Ruby pauses as it pains her to say it before stepping into the ring to say it was her.
Liv is a bit taken aback by this line as Ruby looks at the mat. Ruby takes a few seconds to process what she said out loud before carrying on. Ruby says she wasn’t in the right headspace to win a title and was blaming others around her when she wasn’t performing to the standard needed to make it to the top. Liv is listening to each word from Ruby carefully, unsure what to say in response to her friend. She raises the microphone and is about to respond…
THE MMA HORSEWOMEN ENTER THE RING ATTACKING LIV MORGAN AND RUBY RIOTT FROM BEHIND! NATALYA and MARINA SHAFIR lay a beating on the two women as SHAYNA BASZLER stands barking orders, looking in a foul mood after losing her title last night. Ruby and Liv try to fight back, but once they try to get to their feet, they get taken down by Shayna, making sure the pair stays on the ring mat before she grabs hold of a microphone standing in the middle of the ring.
Shayna says last night was a setback, but she has had setbacks before. She reminds the crowd that she lost the Women’s Universal title once to Charlotte Flair, and just when people thought she wouldn’t get it back, she found a way. Shayna says Rhea Ripley needs to hold her title tightly and keep it close to her chest because she will tear through the entire roster to get her title back! Shayna slams the microphone down as the MMA Horsewomen stand tall in the ring whilst Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott are down and out.
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We then cut backstage to see THE STREET PROFITS hanging out in good spirits with their new tag team titles around their waists. They are drinking from their signature red cups and seem to be in good spirits when they are soon joined in the room by PETE DUNNE and TYLER BATE! MONTEZ FORD is full of cheer and welcomes them to the room, offering them a drink. Pete turns it down whilst Tyler takes a cup, saying it’s not really Pete’s thing, with Dunne giving him a slightly dirty look.
ANGELO DAWKINS asks the duo what brings them into the room and Bate says they wanted to congratulate the new champions on their win last night. Dawkins says he appreciates it, but Montez says if that was the case, why does Dunne look so moody? Dunne rolls his eyes and says he ain’t a party guy, he is a fight guy and wants to fight them for those. Bate points out they did pin the previous champions and feel they deserve a shot. Dawkins has a smirk as he tells British Strong Style that if they want the smoke later tonight, they have got it, agreeing to defend their World tag team titles!
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When we return from the commercial break, we cut to a promo with the title card telling us this was filmed last night! We can see TEAM KICK looking pissed off as they walk through the back. DAKOTA KAI says they know what Sasha is like and they know who her idol is but Bayley is meant to be a role model. TEGAN NOX tells the camera they are not going to quietly go away into the sunset and they demand a rematch for the tag team titles, issuing the challenge for Backlash!
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*PRINCES OF THE UNIVERSE*
BREEZANGO walks out onto the entrance ramp, getting a decent pop from the live crowd as they pose with their selfie sticks at the top of the entrance ramp. TYLER BREEZE and FANDANGO head to the ring, talking to some of the fans at ringside before sliding into the ring ready for action. The commentary team says this match was asked for by these two after Jeff Jarrett’s antics last night, with the duo wanting some revenge.
*MY WORLD*
JEFF JARRETT and HEATH SLATER walk out, getting loud boos from the live crowd. Jeff Jarrett is holding his signature guitar, but you can see tape around his right hand after Pete Dunne broke his fingers last night! The commentary team says Jarrett’s experience was not enough to win them the tag team titles last night, and they will be looking to get a win to get back on track. Once at ringside, Jarrett tells Slater to start for his team, whilst Tyler Breeze starts for Breezango as the referee calls for the bell to get this match underway!
Match 2: Breezango vs Jeff Jarrett and Heath Slater
Match summary: Breezango takes control of the match early on, as Heath Slater struggles to fight back against the experienced unit. Jeff Jarrett gets into the match and uses his veteran experience to get the team back in control. He struggles a lot throughout the match; however, he is unable to punch properly due to the damage to his fingers. In the end, Heath distracts the referee, allowing Jarrett to clock Fandango with the guitar! Jarrett gets rid of the evidence whilst Heath takes care of Breeze and they pick up the win!
Winners via pinfall: Jeff Jarrett and Heath Slater (5:54)
Jeff Jarrett gets to his feet with a cocky ass smirk on his face and is joined in the ring by Heath Slater. The two men share a hug with each other, celebrating the victory as the commentary team says more wins like this and the pair might get themselves into tag team title contention. Breezango looks disappointed with the loss and talks to each other in the ring as the commentary team tells us there is a commotion backstage and we cut to the backstage area…
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NIA JAX IS ATTACKING PIPER NIVEN! We can see MELINA storming onto the scene, but NIA JAX SWATS HER AWAY! Nia turns back to Piper and lays into her with a series of punches, shouting at Piper as she blames her for the loss in the Money in the Bank ladder match two nights ago. Piper tries to fire off a series of punches, but before the brawl can escalate any further, we see a bunch of security led by WADE BARRETT appear and hold the two women back to stop the fight from carrying on much longer.
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*BRUTALITY*
The crowd goes wild as the 2nd hour begins with the New Women’s Universal Champion RHEA RIPLEY making her way out! She has a slight limp due to the damage done by Shayna Baszler last night, but that doesn’t dull the spirits of Rhea, who is in full party mode tonight. The commentary team talks about her lightning-fast ride to the top, with Rhea Ripley dominating in the Royal Rumble and overcoming a 2-time Women’s Champion in Shayna on the grandest stage of them all!
Rhea steps into the ring with her signature smile on her face and lifts the Women’s Universal title into the air before putting it on her shoulder. She lets the cheers die down a bit before addressing the live crowd. Rhea says it was only a matter of time before she became Universal Champion. Acting very cocky, Rhea says she made it clear that when she came to Raw, she wasn’t here to be another person on the roster. She was here to take over and dominate the entire roster!
Rhea carries on saying Shayna tried to break her leg before and during last night’s match, but nothing was stopping her from making it to the top of Monday Night Raw. The crowd loudly cheers as Rhea says she heard what Shayna had to say earlier tonight and if Shayna wants to get another beating at her hands, she is ready to fight here in this ring right now! The crowd goes wild, excited at the prospect, but it isn’t Shayna who comes out…
*THE FURY*
ALEXA BLISS walks out getting boos from the live crowd and she is joined by MICKIE JAMES! The duo walks to the ring with neither woman taking their eyes off of Rhea Ripley. The Women’s Universal Champion has a smirk on her face and moves away from the ropes as she welcomes the duo to enter the ring. Alexa Bliss grabs a microphone and tells Rhea she has her focus on the wrong person because she will be the one to bring this reign to a short end!
Boos from the live crowd as Rhea remains unfazed. Alexa Bliss reminds the live crowd that she won the Sensational Sherri Battle Royal last night and that makes her the number one contender to the Women’s Universal title. Rhea nods, saying she was watching, which gets an eye roll from Bliss as the champion says she is cashing in her shot for Backlash, where she will take Rhea down. Rhea seems unfazed as the five feet of fury steps forward and glares up at Rhea.
Alexa says she has beaten women the size of Rhea before and promises her brains will beat her brawn. Rhea smirks, saying she knows how good Bliss is, pointing out that you don’t become a 5-time Women’s champion without being great. Rhea then looks at Mickie with a smirk, commenting that her friend is ahead of her in title wins. Bliss gets annoyed, telling Rhea to focus on her but the champion shakes her head, saying she might still be new to this but she is smart enough to know Mickie might be a factor.
Rhea has a question for the legend, which makes Mickie raise an eyebrow. She asks the legend if she is happy being a lackey for Alexa Bliss. Bliss steps forward, saying they are partners, but gets annoyed as Mickie snatches the microphone away from Bliss. She promises that she is no one’s lackey and she is a 6-time Women’s Champion who will be shown respect. She then tells Rhea she will show her she is still a fricking legend, challenging Rhea to a match next week. Rhea smirks and accepts the challenge, bringing the segment to a close.
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When we return from the commercial break, we cut to THE HURT BUSINESS LOCKER ROOM and for the first time in over half a year, there is no gold on show. SAMOA JOE, SWERVE STRICKLAND, LIO RUSH, SHELTON BENJAMIN, CEDRIC ALEXANDER and EJ NDUKA are all sitting around looking annoyed after a rough WrestleMania weekend for the group. MVP walks into the middle of the room in a crisp suit, looking annoyed himself before he starts to address the group.
He says WrestleMania was an awful night for business and they need to bounce back quickly. Everyone in the room nods as Swerve gets to his feet, saying they need to show no mercy to anyone who gets in their way. Joe gets to his feet as the two men lock eyes, and although they rarely agree with each other, Joe says Swerve is right. The others are a bit surprised, but Joe says The New Day fought together, so they need to fight together to bring The New Day down.
Lio Rush stands up and says that sometimes another man is better on a given night, suggesting they can work their way back into the title picture. Swerve walks over to Lio and asks if that is the case, why is someone else already getting a shot at the title he just lost? Lio doesn’t have an answer as Swerve says they need to be ready to go to war if they want to get their gold back. MVP says Swerve and Joe are right, saying it is time to discuss a game plan and what they do to get attention back on them!
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*SHER (LION)*
JINDER MAHAL makes his way out, getting boos from the live crowd. He looks at them with disdain as the commentary team tells us this match was made after Jinder demanded the chance to get revenge on Ricochet after he eliminated him from the Andre the Giant Battle Royal.
*ONE AND ONLY*
RICOCHET makes his way out, getting a decent pop from the fans. He sprints to the ring and slaps hands with the kids in the front row. The commentary team says Ricochet will be looking to get back on track with a win tonight over a former World champion. Ricochet lands in the ring as the referee calls for the bell to get this match underway!
Match 3: Ricochet vs Jinder Mahal
Match summary: This match turns into an encounter between power and speed, with Ricochet using his agility to overcome Jinder Mahal. Jinder looks to slow down Ricochet and tosses him around the ring, but Ricochet survives by slowly chipping away at Jinder before finishing him off with the SHOOTING STAR PRESS!
Winner via pinfall: Ricochet (6:12)
Ricochet gets to his feet and celebrates the victory over the former World Champion. He has a smile on his face and plays to the crowd as the commentary team says it is a good win for Ricochet, wondering if this will get him back on track towards gold, as we cut to a commercial break.
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When we return from the commercial break, we cut to CATHY KELLEY who is standing ready for an interview. She welcomes her guests at this time THE UNGOVERNABLES with ZELINA VEGA standing in front of her clients, not looking happy. Cathy asks how she is feeling after a rough weekend for the group, with none of her clients picking up a victory, including herself. Zelina takes a moment to take a deep breath and says maybe she has been letting standards slip for too long.
ANDRADE CIEN ALMAS is about to speak but Zelina cuts him off, telling him he needs to refocus and get back on top. She yells at him in Spanish as ANGEL GARZA and HUMBERTO CARRILLO look on, giving each other a bit of an unsure look. Zelina carries on as SAMI ZAYN walks into the shot, looking a bit sore after last night’s Money in the Bank ladder match. Sami mockingly asks if there is some trouble in paradise, getting a glare from Zelina Vega.
Andrade tells Sami to mind his business and walk away, but this prompts an eye roll from Zelina, telling him that he needs to show they are something to mess with and rants in Spanish. Sami says he actually understood every word of that and says which of you is actually going to step up and fight me. Andrade is about to step forward, but ANGEL GARZA PUSHES PAST! He says he will never disappoint a lady and agrees to fight Sami next week on Raw!
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*THE TIME IS NOW*
JOHN CENA makes his way out to a large pop from the live crowd. He walks out onto the entrance ramp, but there is no signature smile from Cena, who looks a bit glum. He pauses at the top of the entrance ramp as he takes off his cap and tosses it to the fans before doing his signature sprint to the ring. The commentary team mentions that last night John Cena fought Stone Cold Steve Austin in a true dream match, but Austin walked out as the winner, wondering what is next for the leader of the C-Nation.
John Cena slides into the ring with a microphone in hand as he takes a moment to speak before thanking the WWE Universe. This gets him a cheap pop as he thanks them for always reacting to him, whether it is positive or negative; they have always been real with him. Cena nods, getting more cheers from the live crowd before looking down and sighing as he tells the fans it is time for him to be real with them, getting some murmurs and concerns from the fans.
John starts by saying Stone Cold brought everything he expected and more, saying it was truly an honour to step into the ring with a legend of this business. Cena sighs, saying the reason he challenged him to the match was because he knows how far away he is from a shot at the WWE title. Cena says he might have won it 16 times in his career, but that only makes him tied with Ric Flair. This gets a few woos from the live crowd, which Cena acknowledges before carrying on.
John Cena says this is a 'what have you done for me lately' kind of business, and he can’t remember the last time he even won a one-on-one match. Cena says he feels he might have lost a step or two, as his priorities have been elsewhere. This gets a mixed reaction, which Cena acknowledges and says that the WWE will always be his home. He tells the crowd that until his career comes to an end, which is sooner than later, he has one goal left: to win the WWE title one last time and he will do what he needs to if it means making it to the top for the fans. The crowd goes wild as Cena stands in the ring looking at the crowd whilst Raw goes on a commercial break.
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When we return from the commercial break, we cut to KEVIN PATRICK who is standing on the interview set ready for an interview as he introduces his guest: CESARO! The Swiss Superman walks into the interview with a smile on his face and offers Kevin a handshake, which the interviewer accepts. He asks how Cesaro is feeling coming off a victory in his first-ever WrestleMania singles match. Cesaro smiles and says it felt good to put Andrade in his place, proving his way of doing things is correct and that you can win with honour.
Kevin Patrick asks Cesaro if he feels like he is done with Andrade Cien Almas, and the Swiss Superman nods, saying it is time for him to look to the future and he wants to leave Andrade to maybe learn that he needs to find honour if he wants to become great again. Kevin asks what is next for Cesaro and he smiles slightly, telling Kevin that he plans on going after the WWE title next, wanting to test himself against Big E. Kevin thanks him for his time and brings the interview to an end.
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*AMEN*
ELIAS makes his way out onto the entrance ramp, getting a decent pop from the post-WM crowd, having made his return to the ring on night 1 of WrestleMania 37. He slowly walks to the ring, carrying a guitar on his back, with Michael Cole especially on commentary, happy for his now-former broadcast partner. He tells us and Pat that Elias has been working hard to overcome his injuries and return to the ring, getting revenge on Baron Corbin in the Andre the Giant Battle Royal!
Elias gets into the ring and sits on a chair in the middle of the ring, taking a moment to look at the live crowd before smirking to himself. He tells the fans it is good to be back in this ring and looking at you people. He gets a cheap pop from the live crowd before saying it is time for everyone to “WALK WITH ELIAS”! The crowd chants along and you can see why Elias has such a big smile on his face, loving every minute of this. He then asks the crowd if they are ready for a song, but it’s not long before…
*I BRING THE DARKNESS (END OF DAYS)*
BARON CORBIN WALKS OUT! The crowd loudly boos the former United States Champion, who walks out with a microphone in hand and a scowl on his face. Baron says no one wants to hear a song from Elias, which Elias responds to by asking the live crowd if they want him to sing a song about Baron Corbin. The crowd loudly responds with a “YES” chant, infuriating Baron Corbin. So, Elias sings about his rival and mocks Baron Corbin, to the delight of the fans in attendance.
Baron Corbin is furious and cuts Elias off in the middle of the song, demanding that he shut his mouth. The crowd boos and is furious that Corbin has stopped the song they were enjoying. Elias smirks and tells Corbin his main motivation to come back to the ring was these people, but his second motivation was to make Baron Corbin’s life a living hell. Elias issues a challenge for next week, with Baron Corbin agreeing to the match, promising to cut short Elias’s return and send him back to the commentary desk.
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When we return from the commercial break, we see DREW MCINTYRE walking through the back with a smile on his face before being stopped by CATHY KELLEY looking for an interview! Cathy asks how Drew is feeling after his fight against Tommaso Ciampa on night 1. Drew says he was willing to win the “right way” but he soon realized during his match with Ciampa that his opponent had no intentions of fighting fair, so why should he fight fair and not use his own tricks against him?
Cathy asks Drew if he is worried about any reprisal from Tommaso Ciampa, but Drew shakes his head. He says if Tommaso wants to carry on their issues, he is welcome to come fight him, but he is going to focus on getting back what he lost: The WWE title. Cathy says she has heard others staking their claim to be next in line and Drew nods, saying he is willing to fight whoever wants to get in his way of becoming WWE Champion again, even if it is someone like Cesaro!
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*LOVE IS BLINDNESS*
BRITISH STRONG STYLE make their way out to start the 3rd and final hour of Monday Night Raw! PETE DUNNE has his typical scowl on his face as he walks out, whilst TYLER BATE is a lot more cheerful and waves to the live crowd on the way to the ring. Pat McAfee brings up the fact that British Strong Style pinned the previous tag team champions in tag team warfare, but they didn’t walk out with the tag team titles. Michael Cole says they will be looking to correct that tonight against…
*BRING THE SWAG*
THE STREET PROFITS make their way out holding up their World tag team titles, but also have the red cups in their other hand with smiles on their face, still in party mode after finally becoming tag team champions. MONTEZ FORD is especially hyped up and runs to the crowd, whilst ANGELO DAWKINS is a little more reserved in his celebrations. Michael Cole tells us how much the victory last night meant to the Street Profits, chasing tag team gold for several years and just coming up short no matter what. Angelo Dawkins starts for the champions, whilst Tyler Bate starts for the challengers.
Match 4: World tag team titles match: The Street Profits © vs British Strong Style
Match summary: In the opening minutes of the match, both teams show respect to each other, having been allies in going after The Hurt Business in 2021. The Street Profits are in control early, with Tyler Bate struggling a bit against them. Bate brings Dunne into the match and they turn the tide of the match with Dunne using his limb work and submission to ground The Street Profits to get their team back into the match and starts to take control heading towards the later stages of the match.
Angelo Dawkins gets free and makes the hot tag to bring Montez Ford back into the match, who is a house on fire, laying out the challengers and getting loud cheers from the fans as he does it. Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate try to turn the momentum back around but the Street Profits are at the top of their game especially coming off winning the tag team titles and, in the end, a SPINEBUSTER from Dawkins to Bate into FROM THE HEAVENS by Montez Ford gives the champions the victory.
Winners via pinfall and still World tag team champions: The Street Profits (12:28)
The crowd loudly cheers as The Street Profits survive their first defence on Monday Night Raw, even against a very game British Strong Style. Pete Dunne looks annoyed, slamming his hands onto the ring apron, but he joins his tag team partner, Tyler Bate in the ring and checks on his close friend. They both get to their feet right in front of the tag team champions and offer them a handshake. The World tag team champions quickly leave the ring and head up the entrance ramp to celebrate the victory. British Strong Style takes a few seconds to acknowledge the cheers from the live crowd when…
ZACK GIBSON AND JAMES DRAKE STORM THE RING TO ATTACK BRITISH STRONG STYLE! Loud boos from the live crowd as the Grizzled Young Veterans lay a beat down on their fellow British tag team. The crowd loudly boos them for this course of action, but the NXT tag team or seemingly former NXT tag team, don’t care enjoying their handiwork. THE STREET PROFITS see this and run down the ring chasing off the GYV, who leave the ring happy with their work as Raw goes to a commercial break.
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When we return from the commercial break, we can see THE GRIZZLED YOUNG VETERANS walking through the back and talking to each other. They soon stop in their tracks as KEVIN PATRICK looks for an interview. He asks them why they have appeared now and if they are now members of the Raw roster. ZACK GIBSON looks at Kevin with disgust and demands the microphone. He snatches it from Kevin as JAMES DRAKE pushes him away and the GYV looks into the camera.
Zack says they have come to Monday Night Raw and they are here to take over the tag team division. They bring up the fact that they held the NXT UK and NXT tag team titles, saying they should be viewed as the stars who brought the UK scene to WWE, not British Strong Style. James says they will face any tag team who wants to step up next week in that ring before Zack Gibson warns any team stepping into the ring with them to grit their teeth!
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*SOVIET MARCH*
ILJA DRAGUNOV marches out, getting a loud pop from the fans in the crowd, heading to the ring with purpose. Michael Cole says Ilja and his opponent tonight Bobby Lashley, will both be feeling the effects of the Money in the Bank ladder match, having put everything on the line. Pat comments Ilja might be one of the few wrestlers mad enough to take on Bobby Lashley head-on as The Mad Russian paces around the ring waiting for…
*HURT YOU*
BOBBY LASHLEY marches out, getting a mixed reaction from the live crowd. He poses at the top of the entrance ramp before stretching on the way to the ring ahead of his clash with the Mad Russian. Michael Cole says Lashley spoke online about wanting a fight tonight after his loss in last night’s MITB ladder match and Ilja was up for the challenge. Pat says this is going to be a hard-hitting affair as Lashley now stands across the ring from Ilja and the referee calls for the bell to get this match underway!
Match 5: Bobby Lashley vs Ilja Dragunov
Match summary: Both men clobber each other with hard-hitting strikes right from the start and Bobby is a little taken aback by how hard Ilja can truly hit! Lashley does weather the storm though and picks Ilja up, starting to dominate against the Cruiserweight. Ilja fights through the pain and noticeably, Lashley seems almost impressed by his fight but in the end, he manages to put down Ilja with a SPEAR!
Winner via pinfall: Bobby Lashley (6:54)
The crowd cheers after the match, with Lashley getting back to his feet and breathing slightly heavy, having had to fight to earn the victory tonight. The commentary team puts over both men, especially Ilja Dragunov who showed he can hang with someone twice his size. Dragunov shortly after the match, gets to his feet and ends up head-to-head with Lashley but then offers him his hand! Lashley takes a moment before accepting the handshake to a loud pop from the live crowd.
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When we return from the commercial break, CATHY KELLEY is standing ready for an interview on what has been a busy night for her. She welcomes her guests at this time DOLPH ZIGGLER and OMOS! She asks Dolph about the tag team warfare match and how he feels after coming up short in his quest to win tag team gold with OMOS. Ziggler says the only reason they lost is that every team in that match teamed up to take them out. After all, they knew they could not stop him and OMOS otherwise.
Ziggler goes on to say that they can beat any tag team 2 on 2 and will start to prove it on the way to becoming tag team champions. We hear a chuckle off-screen and the camera pans to show the Celtic Warrior SHEAMUS! Ziggler asks what’s so funny and Sheamus remarks that OMOS might be able to win tag team gold, but it will be whether he can carry Ziggler to victory. Ziggler dares him to find a tag team partner to back that up with and DREW MCINTYRE WALKS INTO SHOT saying he already has one. OMOS is ready for a fight, but Ziggler stops him and they leave the duo to stand there smiling.
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*NUMBER ONE*
MIA YIM makes her way out, getting a decent level of boos from the live crowd on the way to the ring. The commentary team says Mia Yim is coming off a loss in the Sensational Sherri Battle Royal and will be looking to get back on track tonight as she takes on…
*CALLING YOU OUT*
DANI LUNA comes out next, getting a decent pop from the live crowd. She is joined by fellow Subculture member MARK ANDREWS who wishes her good luck before Dani heads to the ring. The commentary team gives Dani credit for an impressive showing in the Sensational Sherri Battle Royal and wonders if she can keep up her form going into this match tonight. Dani stands across the ring from Mia as the referee calls for the bell and gets the match underway!
Match 6: Dani Luna vs Mia Yim
Match summary: Mia Yim comes into this with a point to prove, but Dani Luna controls the majority of the match, overpowering Mia Yim and slamming her around the mat. Mia does look to be mounting a comeback, but Dani matches to get her in the CATTLE MUTILATION! Mia tries to escape but is forced to tap out!
Winner via submission: Dani Luna (4:45)
Dani Luna lets go of the hold and gets to her feet, celebrating the victory over Mia Yim. The commentary team is full of praise for Dani and mentions her getting into the title picture if she keeps up her form. The celebrations carry on until… KILYNN KING APPEARS AND BIG BOOTS DANI LUNA! She lays into Dani as the commentary team says this might be revenge for taking her out of the Sensational Sherri Battle royal last night before King plants her with KING’S CURSE (Pumphandle suplex facebuster)! KiLynn gets back to her feet and stands tall over Dani Luna as Raw goes to a commercial break.
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When we return from the commercial break, THE STREET PROFITS are shown backstage still in a good mood as they celebrate their victory earlier in the night. MONTEZ FORD tells ANGELO DAWKINS it is time to raise a toast to their victory… WHEN SAMOA JOE ATTACKS HIM FROM BEHIND! Dawkins looks to react, but SWERVE STICKLAND ATTACKS HIM FROM BEHIND!
The rest of the Hurt Business enters the room (LIO RUSH, SHELTON BENJAMIN, CEDRIC ALEXANDER and EJ NDUKA) as they beat down on the Street Profits! EJ and Joe grab hold of the Street Profits each before SENDING THEM THROUGH THE TABLES IN THE CORNER! MVP walks into the room and takes a look at the damage done before saying that’s a start as the group leaves the tag team champions down and out.
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*COMMANDER*
AR FOX makes his way out, getting a decent pop from the live crowd. The veteran managed to impress quite a few fans two nights ago, and now he looks to use his Andre the Giant Battle Royal win to become an Intercontinental Champion. Michael Cole puts over AR Fox and how hard he has worked to make it to this point in his career, whilst Pat McAfee mentions AR Fox is a former North American champion down in NXT, so he knows what it is like to hold gold.
*KINGSTON*
KOFI KINGSTON makes his way out, getting loud cheers from the crowd as he holds up his newly won Intercontinental title, now a 5-time champion. He is soon joined on the entrance ramp by the rest of The New Day: BIG E and XAVIER WOODS! Both men lift up their Men’s WWE title and Cruiserweight title, respectively before heading to the ring. Michael Cole calls Saturday night the biggest and best night in New Day’s time as a group, whilst Pat says it looks like we have guests with Big E and Woods taking a seat on commentary. The usual title announcements are done before the referee rings the bell to get this match underway!
Match 7: Intercontinental title match: Kofi Kingston © vs AR Fox
Match summary: AR Fox comes flying right out of the gate, looking to overwhelm his fellow veteran in Kofi and put him on the back foot. Kofi struggles to keep up with Fox, who shows out early on and impresses Big E/Woods on commentary as they watch him perform. Kofi weathers the early storm and gets back into the match, going for a ground game, which is not something often seen from Kofi, but he realizes it is his best chance of retaining his title tonight.
As the match starts to reach its closing stages, Kofi is on the top rope, but AR Fox catches him out by hitting LO MIEN PAIN (Rope-bounce Spanish fly)! The crowd goes wild due to the agility but Kofi manages to kick out at 2. Fox shakes his head and looks a little annoyed, which Big E notes on commentary. Fox grabs hold of Kofi and gets ready to hit him with the FOXCATCHER (Cutthroat brainbuster) … BUT KOFI COUNTERS HITTING S.O.S GETTING THE 3 COUNT AND ESCAPING WITH THE TITLE!
Winner via pinfall and still Intercontinental Champion: Kofi Kingston (8:20)
AR Fox kicks out shortly after the 3 count but it is too late, Kofi has retained his Intercontinental title tonight! AR Fox looks furious, whilst Kofi looks a little relieved having been pushed to the limit by Raw’s newest superstar. The New Day members on commentary are full of praise for AR Fox as Kofi looks to offer him a handshake. AR Fox looks angry and considers saying no to it but in the end, shakes Kofi’s hand before storming off towards the back. The commentary team then tells us that after the commercial break, we will see The New Day celebrate their victories last night and to not go anywhere!
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When we return from the commercial break, we can see a stand made up and several balloons surrounding the ring as all 3 members of The New Day stand in the middle of the ring holding their titles: BIG E (WWE), KOFI KINGSTON (IC) and XAVIER WOODS (Cruiserweight). The crowd is loudly cheering the group as Big E goes to speak first, but is cut off by a super loud “You deserve it” chant from the crowd. Big E speaks and thanks the fans, but he feels they have earned it.
Big E says all he heard over the last year was that he was making a mistake and should be taking the easy way out. He says all anyone told him was that he was making a mistake by waiting till WrestleMania to get his WWE title match, but he proved them all wrong by beating Samoa Joe right in the middle of the ring. Big E tells the fans he has no intention of changing who he is and The New Day will always be better together. He promises to be a fighting champion and that brings him to Keith Lee.
The crowd loudly pops for the impressive Mr. Money in the Bank and Big E smiles slightly, saying he heard what Keith had to say, welcoming the challenge and Keith can pick any location as he plans to fight with anyone who comes for him. Big E then passes the microphone to Kofi, who agrees with Big E’s sentiment, planning to fight anyone who crosses paths with him and gives AR Fox full credit for the fight he just gave him, happy to give him a rematch down the road.
Kofi then passes the microphone to Woods, who just wants to thank his friends for having his back all of last year. He mentions the struggles he has had with his confidence and without Kofi or Big E by his side, he might never have won the Cruiserweight title. He gives Lio Rush credit for giving him one hell of a fight and he doesn’t plan on resting on his laurels, welcoming all challengers like his friends. The trio lifts the titles into the air and the celebration looks to carry on when…
MVP APPEARS ON THE TITANTRON! The New Day is on edge as MVP says he hates to cut this celebration short, but he just wanted to congratulate the New Day personally on what they achieved last night. The group seems wary as MVP says he means it, just like KofiMania last night was a true inspiration to fans and people like him. He says The Hurt Business had been running Monday Night Raw, and maybe they had gotten complacent in their time at the top of the division.
MVP says they were here to hurt people and win gold, but right now business is not booming. He looks angry as he tells the New Day that he wants to thank them for helping them remember what they are all about… AS SAMOA JOE, SWERVE STRICKLAND AND EJ NDUKA ATTACK THE NEW DAY! Loud boos from the live crowd as SHELTON BENJAMIN, CEDRIC ALEXANDER and LIO RUSH also storm the ring to join in on the beatdown, getting loud boos from the crowd.
The 6 on 3 beatdown carries on as MVP is shown smirking on the titantron and enjoying what he is seeing so far. The crowd is raining down boos as EJ Nduka starts to tear down the set around them, whilst the rest lay a beat down and all hit their finishers on the New Day in the middle of the ring. The commentary team calls this a heinous attack and Monday Night Raw comes to a close with The Hurt Business standing tall over The New Day as we fade to black.
Matches confirmed for next week:
Singles match:
Rhea Ripley vs Mickie James
Singles match:
Sami Zayn vs Angel Garza
Singles match:
Elias vs Baron Corbin
Tag team match:
Drew McIntyre and Sheamus vs Dolph Ziggler and OMOS
Raw tag team debut:
Grizzled Young Veterans vs ???
Backlash
Omaha, Nebraska
April 25th 2021
FIT FOR RIVALS - DAMAGE
Women’s Universal title match:
Rhea Ripley © vs Alexa Bliss
EWR Rating:
71%
