This is the last episode of Monday Night Raw before Fastlane, so we should have a lot to look forward to. Advertised for tonight includes the return of Goldberg, as well as a sit-down interview with Seth Rollins.
Opening Segment
Right away, the show starts off with Goldberg. The former WCW Champion has a Universal Championship match against Kevin Owens this Sunday at Fastlane. Goldberg cuts a promo about how he is going to win the belt and take it to WrestleMania to face Brock Lesnar, but before he leaves, Owens shows up. The Universal Champ teases a spontaneous match with Goldberg, but then says Green Bay doesn’t deserve it.
The New Day vs. Rusev & Jinder Mahal (w/Lana)
Big E and Xavier Woods were originally supposed to face The Shining Stars, but in a reference to the Oscars, that was a mistake and they actually face Rusev and Jinder Mahal. So far, the crowd has been silent the entire night.
Lana and Rusev are distracted by and argument with Kofi Kingston, and it leaves Mahal no choice but to get rolled up by Xavier Woods. Winners: The New Day
Noam Dar (w/Alicia Fox) vs. Akira Tozawa
Akira Tozawa and Noam Dar has two very different nights last week on 205 Live. Noam Dar picked up a victory over Mustafa Ali while Alicia Fox wasn’t by his side. Akira Tozawa took on Brian Kendrick, but lost the match after Kendrick tied him up under the ring. During the match, it is announced that Tozawa will team up with Rich Swann to take on Dar and Kendrick on the Fastlane Kickoff Show.
Out of nowhere, Tozawa hits Dar with a snap German suplex for the victory. Winner: Akira Tozawa
While Tozawa celebrates his victory, Brian Kendrick attacks him from behind. This is lesson number 3: even if the match is over, always have eyes in the back of your head.
Charlotte & Nia Jax (w/Dana Brooke) vs. Bayley & Sasha Banks
Since Raw only features four women, there isn’t much they could do to change things up. I guess a tag team match will do. Dana Brooke was advertised as Charlotte’s partner, but it turns out to be Nia Jax. Having Jax as a partner is the only way Charlotte could defeat the team of Sasha Banks and Bayley.
Dana Brooke tries to interfere in the match, but she gets hit with the Bayley-to-Belly at ringside. Brooke would then be sent to the back during commercials to get checked for a possible rib injury.
Charlotte is knocked off of the apron, then Nia Jax wipes out both Sasha Banks and Bayley for a surprising win. If Bayley remains the Raw Women’s Champion after this Sunday, Jax has an argument to be te #1 Contender. Winners: Charlotte & Nia Jax
Luke Gallows (w/Karl Anderson) vs. Big Cass (w/Enzo Amore)
In a surprise victory, Enzo Amore and Big Cass defeated Sheamus & Cesaro to become the new #1 Contender’s for the Raw Tag Team Championships. Before Enzo and Cass get their chance at championship gold, Big Cass takes on the bigger half of the tag champs.
Anderson tries to distract Cass by attacking Amore, but Cass still manages to hit Gallows with a big boot for an important win. Whether they can do that on Sunday, however, is still to be seen. Winner: Big Cass
Sheamus vs. Titus O’Neil
Earlier tonight, Titus O’Neil pitched a branding idea to Sheamus, but the Celtic Warrior was having none of it. This enraged O’Neil, leading him to attack Sheamus before the match even began. However, one small opening led to Sheamus hitting the Brogue Kick. Winner: Sheamus
Sit-down Interview w/Seth Rollins
Seth Rollins injured his knee at the hands of Samoa Joe a few weeks ago, and Corey Graves sits down with the Architect to ask him about his situation. In terms of WrestleMania, Rollins says that it doesn’t look like the doctors are going to clear him in time for the big show (not the Big Show).
Triple H and Samoa Joe come down to the ring, thinking that Rollins’ answer is wishy-washy. The Game says that if Rollins shows up at WrestleMania, it will be the last thing he does in a WWE ring. After Triple H insults him for bit, Rollins changes his mind and says he’ll be at WrestleMania.
Big Show vs. The Shining Stars
The Big Show had a great match against Braun Strowman last week, and it looks like the World’s Largest Athlete is back to weekly in-ring action.
Big Show hits Epico with the WMD, then chokeslams Primo to get his first win since returning to the ring. Winner: Big Show
Jack Gallagher & TJ Perkins vs. Neville & Tony Nese
This is a potentially huge match for Jack Gallagher. The Extraordinary Gentleman faces Neville at Fastlane for the Cruiserweight Championship, so a tag team win over the champion could help build some momentum.
Neville tags in Nese, and forces The Premier Athlete to do the rest of the work. Gallagher and Perkins double team Nese while the referee is distracted by Neville, and a unique submission puts Nese away. Winners: Jack Gallagher & TJ Perkins
Cesaro vs. Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe ran into Cesaro earlier tonight, and insulted the Swiss Superman for “still reaching for the brass ring.” Cesaro had some words of his own for the Samoan Submission Machine, and it led to tonight’s main event. Both men have crossed paths before in other wrestling promotions like Ring of Honor.
Cesaro tweaked his knee early on in the match, giving him the obvious disadvantage. Cesaro’s knee prevents him from doing a springboard uppercut, then Samoa Joe hits a Uranage to get his second Raw victory. Winner: Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe cuts a promo after the match, when Sami Zayn attacks him from behind like Joe did to him over the past couple weeks. The two brawl near the entrance ramp, and security is forced to keep them apart.
Contract Signing
Braun Strowman demanded a contract signing so Roman Reigns can’t back out of their match at Fastlane. Strowman comes to the ring first, and threatens Mick Foley. Roman Reigns comes out immediately, and they brawl all over the place. After slamming Reigns into the turnbuckle so hard that it comes off of the ring, Strowman heads to the back. Right before the end of the show, Reigns manages to sign the contract.
