Credit: WINC
We go right to the ring and out first is Kevin Owens, followed by Seth Rollins. They head to the ring together as the announcers hype tonight’s show. Rollins takes the mic and he’s excited about tonight. They go on about how they’ve had a rough year and how they keep coming close but come up short. Owens isn’t thrilled about having to wrestle in Texas at WrestleMania 38, but at least he will be with his best friend. Rollins shows us a video package of events that led to this match. Owens goes on about how they and their momentum is undeniable, just like Dallas sucks, Shorty G and Otis suck, so does RK-Bro. The music interrupts and out come RAW Tag Team Champions Alpha Academy – Otis and Chad Gable. Gable takes the mic and goes on about how last week’s win for Owens and Rollins was a fluke. Gable says tonight they will finish this crap and then waltz onto The Grandest Stage of Them All to defend their titles. We see RK-Bro backstage with Kevin Patrick, who asks for any last words before they head out. Riddle starts rambling as Randy Orton gets hyped up. Orton just wants them to win because how hard they’ve worked and how far they’ve come. Orton is fired up about winning the titles back. RK-Bro heads out to the ring as their music hits.
Orton and Riddle hit the ring as the pyro goes off. They size their opponents up and we go to a commercial break.
Alpha Academy (C) vs. Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens vs. RK-Bro – RAW Tag Team Championships
After a long, arduous match which also saw Orton hit one of the best RKO’s of his career, the finish came when Rollins hit a Curb Stomp on Gable, but then Riddle throws Rollins out and steals the pin to make RK-Bro two time RAW Tag Team Champions.
Winners: RK-Bro
After the match, RK-Bro celebrates their victory and Orton calls Riddle his friend and that he’s never been more happy. They’re going to WrestleMania.
Tamina vs. Dana Brooke
The bell rings and Snuka dominates to start. Dana turns it around and hits the handspring elbow into the corner. Tamina comes right back and runs over Dana with ease. Reggie cheers Dana on from ringside but Tamina stares him down, then applies a Boston Crab in the middle of the ring.
Dana resists but finally rolls out of the hold, and uses her legs to hold Tamina down for the pin to retain.
Winner: Dana Brooke
– After the match, Dana stands tall and exits with Reggie. Tozawa takes the mic and says Dana cheated. He says the real winner of the match is the love of his life, Tamina. Tamina slowly stands up as Tozawa motions for a hug. She puts his arms down and keeps walking past him as fans boo. Tozawa looks devastated. Fans chant “kiss him!” now. Tamina shakes her head but blows a kiss to Tozawa. He catches it and that will do for now. Tamina heads to the back and Tozawa follows.
– Kevin Patrick approaches a stunned Seth Rollins backstage and asks for comments on what happened but he has nothing to say. Rollins just stares straight ahead, seething.
– The announcers hype Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns and show us another still from Madison Square Garden. We will see the full MSG segment later tonight.
– We go back to the ring and out comes The Miz for a special Cleveland Homecoming Party. Miz rallies his hometown crowd up as he enters the ring and we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and the announcers hype Miz and Logan Paul vs. Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 38. Miz takes the mic now and announces that he is home. Fans chant for Miz and he says that’s what respect sounds like. Fans chant “Miz is awesome!” and he says no, Cleveland is awesome. Miz talks about the feud with The Mysterios, and shows how the challenge was accepted on RAW. Miz goes on and gives a grand introduction for Paul, and out he comes. Paul thanks the hometown crowd. He goes on and says he has nothing but respect for his city, because Cleveland made him the man he is today. Some fans are booing. Miz tells Paul to not be modest, he made himself. They talk more about The Mysterios and ask fans if they want to see a father & son team of losers or two pop icons. Logan says Rey is a legend but Dominik is just riding his coattails.
Miz says there is someone else who shares their view, and he was born & raised in Cleveland. The music hits and out comes WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler, wearing a Cleveland Browns NFL jersey. The King says this is awesome, and he thanks Cleveland. Lawler talks about his history in Cleveland as a kid and says it’s good to hear Miz talk about Cleveland, and he’s glad to be here for the homecoming. Lawler says he’s looking at Miz stand under the WrestleMania 38 sign, so how about having a WrestleMania in Cleveland? Paul says that’s an awesome idea but Miz asks, really?
Miz isn’t sure about the idea. He loves Cleveland but he doesn’t see it as a WrestleMania city. Fans boo Miz now and he wants to know why. Miz says the city couldn’t even handle the WrestleMania pyro. Miz talks about how he left Cleveland when he found success, as did other athletes. He goes on getting heat from the crowd now, saying Cleveland will never host a Super Bowl or WrestleMania. Miz says it’s’ time he and Paul leave and focus on beating The Mysterios at WrestleMania, because winners leave Cleveland. They walk past Lawler and exit the ring as the boos continue.
– We see recent happenings in the Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode vs. WWE NXT Champion Bron Breakker and Tommaso Ciampa feud. Ciampa and Breakker are backstage with Kevin Patrick now. Breakker says he’s taking it all in on his RAW debut but he’s excited. Patrick brings up the NXT Roadblock main event with Breakker defending against Ciampa and Ziggler, and reveals that first there will be a tag match tonight with Breakker and Ciampa teaming up. He asks about the RAW Superstars having a home field advantage. Breakker dismisses the idea of a home field advantage and says this is a dream come true as he’s so grateful to be here on RAW, representing NXT and getting his hands on The Dirty Dawgs. Ciampa says Ziggler won’t get his hands on the NXT Title and they’ve put away The Dirty Dawgs once, and will do it again on tonight’s RAW. Ciampa and Breakker head to the ring.
Bron Breakker and Tommasso Ciampa vs. Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode
Bron puts Ziggler down and swings for Roode but Roode hops back to the floor. Ziggler ends up sending Roode into the ring post and hitting a Zig-Zag but Ciampa makes the save just in time before the pin. Ciampa levels Roode with a big knee to send him out to the floor. Ziggler gets up and goes for a superkick but Bron catches it. Bron presses Ziggler high in the air once again, then drops him into the powerslam for the pin to win in the middle of the ring.
Winners: Bron Breakker and Tommaso Ciampa
– After the match, Ciampa brings the NXT Title belt in and hands it to Breakker as they stand tall together. Ziggler crawls with the mic and congratulates Bron on pulling one over on The Dirty Dawgs. Ziggler liked how Bron and Ciampa worked together as a team, but reminds them there’s a Triple Threat for the title tomorrow and the second Bron looks at Ciampa, Ziggler will strike and become NXT Champion, then their world will come crumbling around them and Ziggler will be there in all his glory, with one more trophy for his case. Ziggler drops the mic and exits with Roode as the music hits, telling the “kids” he will see them tomorrow.
– We get a vignette looking at how Omos has dominated. Sarah Schreiber is backstage with Omos now. She brings up how he’s undefeated since debuting at WrestleMania last year, and asks if he’s worried there won’t be room for him at WrestleMania 38 this year. Omos asks how many victims he has to dominate for a WrestleMania match. Omos says he is not waiting for his WrestleMania moment, he is taking it, even if he has to punish every single Superstar until there is no one left. Omos heads off to the ring.
Omos vs. Apollo Crews
Omos charges for the splash but Crews moves, then nails a kick to the head. Crews comes off the second rope with an axe handle but Omos rocks him and nails the big Choke Bomb for the easy pin to win.
Winner: Omos
– After the match, Omos stands tall as we go to a replay. The referee checks on Crews as Omos makes his exit. Omos stops as Azeez comes in to check on Crews. Omos stares Azeez down now. They face off in the middle of the ring as fans start cheering. Azeez doesn’t back down, staring Omos up and down. Omos just laughs at Azeez and then makes his exit. Azeez and Omos stare each other down while Omos backs up the ramp to end the segment.
– Still to come, WWE Hall of Famer Edge explains his actions from last week. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and we see how WWE Hall of Famer Edge snapped on AJ Styles last week. The announcers show us the WWE Digital update that said AJ suffered a severe contusion in the attack, which is a storyline injury. We go back to the ring and Edge is introduced to loud boos already. The lights are down and there’s a spotlight on the ring. Edge slowly walks to the ring as the boos drown out his theme.
Edge asks if you think you know me, but AJ does not. He says he will speak directly to AJ, who is at home, and AJ should put the kids to bed for this one. Edge says last week’s attack was for AJ, to help him. Edge needs the best AJ at WrestleMania 38, the flesh-tearing pitbull. Edge goes on and says he helped AJ last week, but AJ actually helped him, too. Edge says it was like his brain finally cracked open and finally the real Edge was free to fly, and it felt so good.
Edge says he has fallen in love with this new version of himself. Edge says he finally feels control in this ring, in control of any and everything that will happen in this industry. The boos continue and Edge looks out, staring straight ahead at the camera now. Edge tells AJ he’s standing on the mountain of omnipotence and the view is… phenomenal. Edge drops the mic and the boos get louder. He stares straight ahead at the camera until the screen goes black.
– We come back after 20 seconds or so and the announcers are reacting to Edge. They also show us what happened in tonight’s opening match when RK-Bro won the RAW Tag Team Titles.
– Kevin Patrick is backstage with Kevin Owens for comments on what happened in the opener. Owens says we don’t see him as distraught as Seth Rollins was earlier tonight, because the feeling he had when he realized they weren’t going to WrestleMania, he never wants to feel that again, and he will never have to because he had an epiphany. He has an idea and that idea will change his entire WrestleMania future. Patrick asks if Owens wants to share and he says no, not yet, he still has some details to iron out but he has a plan and he will share it later tonight.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Carmella and Queen Zelina Vega vs. Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley
Vega kicks out just in time while Graves tends to Carmella at ringside, according to Saxton. Vega and Liv trade more offense. Vega tries to tag but Carmella is busy with Graves. Liv drops Vega into her knees. Ripley tags in and hits the Riptide for the pin to win and earn the WrestleMania 38 spot against the champs and their other challengers, Naomi and Sasha Banks.
Winners: Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley
– After the match, Liv and Ripley celebrate while Carmella and Vega seethe. The WrestleMania Sunday match will now be Vega and Carmella vs. Morgan and Ripley vs. Naomi and Sasha Banks.
– We see how Finn Balor won the WWE United States Title from Damian Priest last week, and how Priest snapped on Balor after the bout.
Finn Balor vs. Austin Theory
Theory drops Balor with a quick Fisherman’s Buster for another close 2 count. Theory points at the WrestleMania 38 sign and goes back to work on Balor but Balor ducks a shot. Theory with a big neckbreaker into his knee for another close 2 count. Theory is really frustrated now. Theory rants about WrestleMania and goes for The ATL but Balor counters and drops him. Balor with the corner dropkick. Balor goes to the top for Coup de Grace but Priest appears out of nowhere on the apron, grabbing Balor by his throat and shoving him off for the disqualification.
Winner by DQ: Finn Balor
– After the bell, the referee tries to restore order but Priest enters he ring and stalks Balor, who is clutching his throat. Priest drops Balor with the Razor’s Edge as the boos get louder. Priest’s music hits as he exits the ring, looking up at Balor and then the WrestleMania 38 sign. Theory re-enters the ring and takes a selfie, then grabs Balor for The ATL in the middle of the ring. An aggressive Theory gets back down with Balor and takes a few more selfies before making his exit as the music hits.
– We see how Bianca Belair whipped RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch with her hair last week. Kevin Patrick is backstage with Belair now. Belair says she has one simple rule – don’t touch her hair. She says she doesn’t need her hair to win, she and Becky are WrestleMania main eventers and should be out there tearing it up, but Becky got what she was asking for. Belair goes on and declares that she will leave WrestleMania as the RAW Women’s Champion.
– We go back to the ring and out comes Kevin Owens to make his big announcement. We go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Owens is in the ring. He says it’s official – he doesn’t have a match at WrestleMania 38, and that’s OK because he thinks he knows how he can get there, but it will depend on the answer to this challenge. Owens wants to have the biggest, most stupendous episode of The KO Show at WrestleMania 38 and because of where WrestleMania is held this year, he knows his guest has to be some lowlife from Texas. He takes shots at WWE Hall of Famers JBL, Booker T and Shawn Michaels. He gives HBK some props but says as a proud Canadian, it would be sacrilegious to have Shawn on his show, and out of respect to WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart, Shawn can’t be the guest.
Owens then brings up another WWE Hall of Famer, taking shots and predicting this guy is off drinking beer like the redneck he is. He takes more shots as fans boo, bringing up how bad this guy’s knees were. Owens says nothing would make him happier than to beat the hell out of this guy in his home state, and to give him a Stunner the world would talk about for years, and then pour a glass of milk over his lifeless body. Owens knows this person is watching and he thinks this person doesn’t have the guts to show up. Owens finally names him – “Stone Cold” Steve Austin! The crowd pops as Owens slams the mic down. Owens’ music starts up as the announcers wonder if we will see Austin. They announce The KO Show for WrestleMania Saturday, with a question mark next to Austin’s name. RAW goes off the air.
