We open RAW with Drew McIntyre. The more things change, the more they stay the same for Drew McIntyre, as he finds himself fighting for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania once again. He has Corbin and Lashley on his mind, but unfortunately for Lashley, the biggest fight of our lives will take place, and he’s tried his best, but he can’t stop the match. They’ve also thought of their similar journeys. Ups and downs, many roads traveled, nearly 20 years, and he wondered what’s separated the two. And he got the answer. Sacrifice, and how much he’s willing to sacrifice.
Both of them have sacrificed to an extent in terms of travel, but the difference is with Lashley is that he made up for lost time when he went home. Drew left home at 22 for only one reason, and that was to become WWE Champion. Sometimes he wished he had the luxury of being home. His mother had chemotherapy and he would tell Drew over Skype that this is his dream and that he needs to keep pushing forward and his mother told him if he came home, she’d kick his ass himself. And fighting is what he’s done. TLC matches, Hell In a Cell matches and much more, and he wonders how Lashley can beat a man who’s sacrificed everything? He can’t beat him, and he won’t. He’ll run through Corbin tonight, and take back what is his at WrestleMania. That brings out Lashley and MVP.
Is Drew done yet? Everyone hears him goes on and on about last year’s at WrestleMania. 17 years to get to the top of the mountain. 16 years for Lashley, so he knows. But it’s Lashley’s time and only one of the two can be at the top. Lashley sees it in Drew’s eyes, and it was fear. On top of that, when he had him in the Hurt Lock, he felt trepidation. Drew says when he was in the Hurt Lock that was his ass going out, not anything fearful. McIntyre says since its 5 days from Mania, why don’t they just skip the talking and get to fighting. MVP says he has a lot of tough talk for someone who may not even make it to WrestleMania.
Corbin comes out and says there will be WrestleMania for Drew and no WWE Championship. Last week, he started something. This week, he will whip his punk ass.
Riddle is with New Day backstage and he expresses disgust at what Omos did with them last week, and he tells Kofi he never saw be lifted that high before. Kofi says he doesn’t plan of having that happen at WrestleMania. Xavier asks Riddle what he plans on doing at WrestleMania against Sheamus. He says he’s a little sticky, and he’s going to have to grind him up. He wishes them luck.
Xavier Woods vs. AJ Styles
Kofi baits Omos on the outside by throwing a microphone at Omos. Omos chases Kofi to the other side of the ring. This distracts AJ as he succumbs to a inside cradle by Xavier.
Winner: Xavier Woods
Kofi and Xavier celebrate with the virtual fans while AJ is livid.
A Bugatti pulls up in the backstage area. It’s Bad Bunny and Damian Priest. We see a shot of Braun Strowman walking backstage.
Braun Strowman comes out and is inside a steel cage. He says that he’s dealt with people like Shane all his life. People who bully him without knowing who he is. There’s nowhere to hide, because he’s not whooping Shane’s ass not just for him, but for everyone who’s ever been called stupid and will get these hands from the Monster Among Men. At WrestleMania, at the end of their match on Saturday, while his corpse lays in the middle of this ring and he rubs his face into the metal, and give the taste of the agony on the souls of people who have been called people, and he will get these hands at WrestleMania. Out comes Shane.
Shane wanted to see how far his intellect came by allowing Braun to pick the kind of match. A steel cage match at WrestleMania is not that stupid. On paper, people would say Braun would be favored in this match. But Shane’s a McMahon, which means he will outwit him and defeat him inside of that steel cage. The next morning, when he looks in the mirror, he will say that he is stupid. Out comes Elias.
Braun Strowman vs. Elias and Jaxson Ryker
Strowman powerslams everyone in sight and pins both of them easily.
Winner: Braun Strowman
Miz and Morrison are backstage. They are carrying paint cans. They call themselves artists, and artists carry paint and they have a masterpiece to create. They approach Bad Bunny’s Bugatti backstage. Miz says he sees a scratch and the paint is the same color as the car, so he and Morrison paint red paint all over the car. Miz starts using his fingers and dabbing it all over. The right their names, “Hey Hey Ho HO” and then smear their palms on it before leaving.
Back from commercial, Bad Bunny looks at what they did to his car. He takes of his glasses and is disgusted Then, Miz and Morrison jump him from behind. Adam Pearce and Priest check on him and they scream for a medic.
A pre-recorded interview from Ripley plays and she asks about how she can co-exist with Asuka tonight after last week. She’s not going to reveal her strategy, but tonight, she’s going to get along with Asuka so she can give Nia comeuppance. But this Sunday at WrestleMania, that title is hers.
Asuka and Rhea Ripley vs. Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler
Asuka goes up for a top rope splash, but Ripley shoves her off the top rope and slams her face to the outside. Baszler finishes her off with a running knee to the face.
Winners: Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler
We see what happened last week with MVP and Bobby Lashley kicking Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander out of The Hurt Business. Cedric approaches MVP backstage and ends up grabbing him by his collar as Shelton also approaches. Cedric has some harsh words and a warning for MVP, saying he may not beat Lashley tonight but he will leave him something to remember him by. Cedric can’t wait to see Drew McIntyre kick Lashley’s teeth in at WrestleMania and expose MVP for the crippled fraud he is. Cedric walks off. Shelton straightens MVP’s jacket and tells him to stay his crippled ass out of the way. Sarah Schreiber walks up and ask if MVP is now worried about Lashley’s match tonight. MVP is never worried about Lashley but he’s bothered by the ungrateful attitude he saw from Shelton and Cedric. He goes on and takes credit for them being relevant again and getting a bump to first class. Lashley walks up and asks what happened but MVP downplays it. Lashley says he’s going to break Cedric’s ass in half. They walk off and we go to commercial.
Bobby Lashley vs. Cedric Alexander
Before the match even begins, Benjamin and Alexander jump Lashley. Lashley fights them both off and he eventually wins with the Hurt Lock.
Winner: Bobby Lashley
After the match, Shelton immediately rushes in and attacks Lashley but Lashley fights back and drops him on his face. Lashley with The Hurt Lock on Benjamin now, rag-dolling him and leaving him lay. MVP brings the WWE Title in the ring as the music starts up. Lashley and MVP stand tall over their former colleagues.
– We see Bad Bunny backstage talking with Damian Priest. Back to commercial.
Riddle vs. Mustafa Ali
Riddle wins with the Bro Derek.
Winner: Riddle
After the match, Sheamus and Riddle trash talk each other.
Drew McIntyre is backstage and is asked about King Corbin. Drew says somebody with someone as big a head as Corbin would have more sense than to attack him. He’ll do whatever it takes to get the job done, and he’d probably step over his own grandmother to have a shot at the WWE Title at WrestleMania, but unfortunately for Corbin, he has a date with destiny and he won’t let Corbin get in his way.
Drew McIntyre vs. King Corbin
Towards the end of the match, MVP tells Corbin it isn’t about winning the match, but about taking him out. MVP gives Corbin his cane, but McIntyre dodges an attack attempt and gets a Claymore for the win.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
After the match, Lashley comes out and stares down McIntyre from the entrance ramp as RAW goes off the air.
