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WWE Monday Night Raw comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Feb. 22, 2021) from the ThunderDome at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, featuring all the fallout from the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view (PPV) that went down just last night at the very same venue.
Advertised for tonight: The Miz cashed in the Money in the Bank contract and won the WWE championship from Drew McIntyre but he seemingly cut a deal with The Hurt Business to do it. Asuka was left off the PPV completely and needs a new challenger for the Raw women’s championship. All that and more!
Come right back here at 8 p.m. ET when the Raw live blog kicks off once the show starts on USA. It will be below this line here. (REMINDER: NO GIFS OR PICS ARE ALLOWED IN THE COMMENTS SECTION. OFFENDERS WILL BE BANNED.)
WWE RAW RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR FEB. 22
It just takes a minute and you’ll feel no pain. Gotta make something of your life boy, give me one more vein. You’ve come to see the doctor, ‘cause I’ll show you the cure. I’m gonna take away the questions, and liveblog this here pro wrestling show for you, folks.
The show opens with a recap of Drew McIntyre retaining the WWE Championship in the Elimination Chamber only to get beaten down by Bobby Lashley and cashed in on by Miz after.
John Morrison is in the ring and introduces the Miz as your new WWE Champion.
Miz does his usual introductory spiel for MizTV and asks how you like him now. He recounts his career and how everyone thought he’d be fired within three months of debuting and here he is, 16 years later as your WWE Champion. He talks all the stars like the Rock, John Cena, Batista, Bobby Lashley, Daniel Bryan, and even Edge and says none of them measure up to his longevity, star power, or tenacious attitude.
He says he called his shot, cashed in, and beat Drew McIntyre and says his career reads like a Jeopardy! clue.
Enter Bobby Lashley, flanked by Montel Vontavious Porter.
MVP offers congratulations to Miz on behalf of the Hurt Business before talking about how he couldn’t help but notice that the A-Lister left out the part where Bob destroyed McIntyre and made him cashing in possible. Miz says he was about to get to that and thanks them but says he and John have more celebrating to do. He tries to take his leave but Porter says they’re not done yet.
He wants to disclose the terms of their agreement, whereby John Morrison cost Bobby Lashley the WWE United States Championship, so in return for that and for helping him win the title, Miz owes him a title shot. Miz admits he owes Lashley a title match but says he didn’t say when. As champion he’s got media dates and interviews and all this stress, and there’s just no time for a title defense.
MVP points out that Miz named Bobby Lashley in his little diatribe and Bob grabs the A-Lister by the lapel and says he has one hour to give him a title shot or he’ll make him star in a show called How Lashley Sent Me to the Emergency Room.
New United States Champion Matt Riddle is shown chatting backstage with Lucha House Party.
He thanks them for having his back and goes off on a tangent about video games before saying he loves the little eagle dude on the belt and he’s gonna name him Travis, after a friend of his. Lince Dorado points out he’s got a match and the ring’s on the other side of the arena, and Riddle gets out his “trusty stallion”, a scooter, and scoots off to send us to break.
Back from commercial, we get a graphic informing us exactly how long Miz has left to agree to Lashley’s ultimatum, so that’s nice.
John Morrison vs. Matt Riddle
Circling, Riddle goes behind, waistlock takedown, roll through into an armbar, Morrison counters to a pin, no good! Another waistlock, John breaks with an elbow, slides low, kick, leg lariat, standing shooting star, Matt catches him into a triangle choke but Morrison gets a foot on the ropes! Circling again, Riddle beckons him in, John keeps his distance, kicking away but Matt catches him into an ankle lock!
Morrison catches a kick, Riddle rolls him through, Penalty Kick misses but John hits a capoeira kick! Karelin lift gets Matt back with the momentum, trading forearms, Morrison with a solebutt but the followup gets caught, Riddle with forearms but John thumbs his eye! Leg pick, looking for a Dragon Sleeper, Matt stands up, gets inverted suplexed over the ropes to the apron, and a kick knocks him to the floor!
Morrison follows that up with a brillo Morrison that nearly goes wrong but takes Riddle out all the same! Bodyscissors takeover puts John on the apron, big palm strikes, trading kicks... FISHERMAN BUSTER ON THE APRON AND DEEP WATERS IS FIRED UP AS WE GO TO BREAK!
Back from commercial, Morrison hits an Alabama Slam for two! Cutthroat choke, Riddle fights to his feet, body blows to escape, John hammers him with elbows in the corner. Matt fires forearms of his own back, Pele Kick connects, kip-up, charging forearms ensue! Overhead exploder suplex, Penalty Kick ducked, nobody home on the standing moonsault and Morrison rolls out of the ring!
Penalty Kick off the apron, corkscrew Asai Moonsault takes him out! Back inside, bridging German suplex... NOPE! John rams him into the corner, shoulder thrusts, Matt fires forearms back, Morrison hits him with a Spanish Fly off the second rope... NOT ENOUGH! Moonlight Drive countered into the Bro 2 Sleep, John hits a kick right after! Slingshot sunset flip, Morrison with a running knee!
Looking for Starship Pain, Riddle counters...
Matt Riddle wins by pinfall with the fall-forward Tombstone Piledriver.
Commentary hypes Lashley’s ultimatum up some more.
We get a Rhea Ripley video package informing us she’s coming soon to Raw, and we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get a recap of Bad Bunny’s performance on Saturday Night Live.
Cut to Bunny walking backstage with Damian Priest when they run into an interview.
Bad says this is just the beginning, and with his boy Damian at his side, you can get used to seeing him with a title every week. R-Truth appears with referee Chad Patton and, caught, hugs Patton and sends him packing. Priest tells him not to play dumb, and Truth says he respects Bunny for saving the universe from the Mon-Stars with Michael Jordan and all he wants is an autograph.
Damian points out that his name is Bad Bunny and Truth admits that he got got and runs off.
We get a recap of our opening segment, because Raw is three hours long. (Three hours long.)
Miz is backstage yelling at five-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion Adam Pearce about Lashley’s ultimatum and he says he agrees with what the A-Lister was saying earlier, but that means he needs to step up and take on all comers. He’ll respect any decision Miz makes, but he needs to make a decision NOW.
New Day make their entrance to send us to break.
Back from commercial, we get some hype for the new Punky Brewster show on Peacock.
New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. Retribution (Mace & T-Bar)
T-Bar and Woods to start, big man clubbering Xavier down! Kingston tags in, double stomp off the top, arm wringer into an armbar, trying to grind the Retribution man down but he gets scooped and slammed all the same! Mace tags in, short chokebombs, T-Bar with a boot, cover for two! Backbreaker follows it up, again just a nearfall! They hit a double chokeslam that commentary calls Blind Justice and Mustafa Ali demands they do it again before going for the cover!
Woods low bridges T-Bar to the floor, Kofi lays Mace out with Trouble in Paradise! One for T-Bar as well...
New Day win by pinfall with Trouble in Paradise from Kofi Kingston on T-Bar.
Post-match, Retribution get in the ring and Ali berates them, asking them how many times they’re going to fail him, disrespect him, and embarrass him. He spikes the mic and complains about carrying all of them on his back.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get another recap of our opening segment.
Five-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion Adam Pearce emcees a segment where Miz and Morrison join Bobby Lashley and MVP in the ring. Miz says he’s come to the decision that he needs more time, and Bob says he’s wasting his time and he doesn’t like it. The A-Lister says he’s worried about the prestige of the title, Montel isn’t having it but Miz doubles down and says he needs more time.
He understands that Bob wants to come after the WWE Championship, but he wants to be at his best to give him and the WWE Universe his best effort as the title deserves, and he needs at least a week for that.
(RRROOOAAARRRR!)
Enter Braun Strowman.
He says if anybody’s getting a title shot it’s him, and he complains about being left out of the Elimination Chamber match and he’s far more... clarified? than anybody that was actually in the match last night.
Enter Shane McMahon.
He tells Pearce that he needs to run a tighter ship and Braun that he can’t just come down here and demand a title match. Strowman says everybody sucks and screams about wanting a title match tonight, like a pouty teenager. Shane says that idea sucks, and Braun suggests that if he doesn’t get a title match, he wants a match against Bobby Lashley. McMahon is intrigued by the idea and makes the match happen.
And he’s gonna up the stakes— if Braun can defeat Lashley, then next week, it’ll be a three-way title match, Miz defending against both of them!
Shane leaves, and Bob chop blocks Strowman!
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get a recap of what we just saw, because I am trapped in a Groundhog Day loop on Monday nights.
Montel Vontavious Porter is on commentary for the next one.
Hurt Business (Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin) vs. Lucha House Party (Gran Metalik & Lince Dorado) (Tornado Tag Team Match)
Brawling to start, Alexander lays Dorado out with a wicked basement dropkick and nearly takes it then and there! Hurt Business continue dominating the match, Lince with desperate strikes but Shelton catches him into a Gory Special and Cedric dropkicks him hard! Keeping the pressure up on Metalik, Gran fires back, getting an advantage on Benjamin but he ends up powerbombed hard in the middle of the ring!
Choking Dorado in the corner, looking for a double-team but Lince pulls Cedric out of the ring and rallies! Enzuigiri from the apron, satellite DDT from Metalik into a diving splash... ALEXANDER BREAKS IT UP! Brawling Cedric into the corner, beating him down, whip across, back body drop to the apron, big boot, up to the second but Lince is right there with him!
Springboard Frankensteiner, Gran up top, walk the ropes, nobody home! Shelton pounces him, blocks a wheelbarrow bulldog...
Hurt Business win by pinfall with Paydirt from Shelton Benjamin on Lince Dorado.
The Hurt Business celebrate in the ring.
We get a recap of Bad Bunny becoming 24/7 Champion last week.
Bunny makes his entrance, followed shortly thereafter by Damian Priest to send us to break.
Angel Garza vs. Damian Priest
Back from commercial, I return from the restroom to find my lovely wife Josie in my seat and typing away, filling in for me. Here’s what she has for y’all:
Angel Garza enters. He blows kisses to the electric crowd that isn’t there. He thinks he’s all that. Then he tries to do some kind of wackadoo reverse nelson on the ropes, but the ropes win. After he gives up he climbs the turnbuckle and does a Conan pose with his arms out, again mugging for a crowd that *is not there*. You know, like a little kid playing around in his bedroom.
She’s the best, y’all. Anyway, Priest with a big lariat out the gates, well in control until Garza spikes him eye-first into the ropes and follows up with strikes. He tears his pants off and throws them at Bad Bunny, gets Damian down and out in the corner, off the ropes, facewash! Priest hulks up, blocking strikes and clubbing at him, calling for it, charging elbow, Broken Arrow... NOT ENOUGH!
More forearms, drawing Angel up, he blocks, underhooks, Priest fights out but Garza clotheslines him to the floor! Bad Bunny runs interference, Damian with a kick from the apron, off the top with a Shinjiro Ohtani spinning wheel kick! Inverted facelock...
Damian Priest wins by pinfall with Hit the Lights.
Post-match, the 24/7 title scene rush the ring but Priest helps Bunny fight them off!
Commentary promises us Randy Orton addressing Alexa Bliss’ mind games, after the break.
Back from commercial, we get another look at the Rhea Ripley hype reel, because this show doesn’t repeat footage often enough as it is.
Randy Orton cuts a promo.
He says failure isn’t a word he’s too familiar with, but recently he finds himself surrounded by it. Last week he should have won the gauntlet match and had an advantage in the Elimination Chamber, but that didn’t happen. Instead he was the first man eliminated, and he wondered “what’s the distraction?” Every time he’s distracted, he does what he has to take to take care of it.
Like the Fiend, he set him on fire to solve that problem. He asks why he can’t focus on the WWE Championship, and he comes to the conclusion that he’s distracted by Alexa Bliss. We get a short clip of her in the summoning circle and when we cut back to Randy he’s spitting up dark fluid and stumbling offscreen.
Another recap follows, this time of Lacey Evans announcing her pregnancy last week.
Charlotte Flair makes her entrance to send us to break.
Back from commercial, we get some hype for WrestleMania being exclusive to Peacock.
Asuka & Charlotte Flair vs. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler
Asuka and Baszler to start, circling, octopus hold reversed into a Stretch Muffler, the Empress reverses back to a Fujiwara armbar and tags Flair in. The babyfaces clear the ring and high five and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Jax gets Asuka isolated and the tag champs go to work, Baszler targeting her arm! A desperate Empress gets the tag, Flair kicking away at Shayna in the corner, smashing her face into the turnbuckles! Backing her into the corner, Nia tags in, Charlotte floats out of a two-on-one and starts throwing chops! Whip reversed, Flair Flip, shoulder thrust and a big boot from the apron!
Slingshot back in, front kick to Jax, off the ropes and Nia hosses her up for a powerbomb... NOT ENOUGH! Pressing the attack, Shayna in, working Flair’s arm and keeping her cut off. Charlotte clears Baszler off the apron after a tag, sunset flip puts Nia into the corner and the path is clear! Shayna tags back in, clear the apron, Flair with a spinning toehold into the figure four leglock but Jax drops the leg on her to break it up!
Asuka gets the tag, in hot with a missile dropkick, Nia tags back in and the Empress lays her out with a roundhouse kick! Hip attacks to both heels, stacking ‘em up, Codebreaker puts Jax on her knees, sliding knee... NOPE! Cross armbar applied, Baszler breaks it up with kicks! Looking for the Asuka Lock but Charlotte accidentally blasts her with a big boot!
Nia off the ropes...
Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler win by pinfall with a leg drop from Jax on Asuka.
Post-match, Charlotte stares Asuka down and waves her off.
A recap of the segment where Shane McMahon made Strowman vs. Lashley follows. I am tired.
Jeff Hardy makes his entrance to send us to break.
Jeff Hardy vs. Sheamus
Sheamus coming in hard out the gates, Hardy pops up in the corner for a tijeras but gets clubbed right down! Jeff manages to sling him out of the ring, axehandle when he comes back in and the Charismatic Enigma puts boots to the Celtic Warrior. Sheamus explodes out of the corner with a lariat, but Jeff hits a pair of dropkicks through the ropes and takes the action to the floor.
Poetry in Motion leg lariat off the steel steps and we go to break!
Back from commercial, Sheamus has an armbar in and is hammering Hardy’s face with forearms. Jeff fights to his feet, clubbing blows of his own but he gets caught in the Irish Curse! Three of them in total... NOPE! Crossface strikes, Hardy rolls away but the Celtic Warrior draws him back up. Body blows set up a jawbreaker, Twist of Fate blocked, back suplex, Jeff lands on his feet!
Posting Sheamus shoulder-first in the corner... WHISPER IN THE WIND! Whip reversed, Manhattan Drop to the double leg drop to the basement dropkick, off the ropes for the big splash but Sheamus gets the knees up and a cover for two! Boots up in the corner, Hardy perches, diving splash... NOT HAPPENING! Sheamus boots him out of the corner to block Hardyac Arrest, Jeff ducks a lariat... TWIST OF FATE!
Off the top, nobody home, roll-through, front kick, Twist of Fate blocked, sidestep the Brogue Kick, cover for two! Knee strike, Sheamus charges in...
Sheamus wins by pinfall with the Brogue Kick.
Backstage, Charlotte Flair is complaining to her father Ric about her lack of focus lately and his part in that, hanging around with Lacey Evans and so on. She reiterates how much she’s about protecting their legacy and asks him to go home. The Nature Boy says he never said the baby was his and he just saw genuine potential in Lacey, to which Charlotte says he sees potential in a lot of blondes.
He does this over and over and now he thinks it’s funny to do it on her time? Ric says he thought he could motivate Lacey the way he did Charlotte, and he’s not saying he made her, but he likes to think he had some part in it and she’s one of the all time greats now. He doesn’t mean anything bad by it, he loves her and wants the best for her, but he wanted to expand the brand and make the women the biggest part of the market.
He’s sorry, but if she thinks he’d do anything to trash the Flair name, he just wants it to be what it is right now, a household name. Charlotte says she doesn’t see it that way when he’s trying to take the spotlight from her when she’s in the ring and trying to prove that she’s not Ric Flair’s daughter, she’s Charlotte Flair. Again she asks him to go home.
She’s thankful for the doors he’s opened and everything he’s given her, and she loves him, but she wants the opportunity to just be.
She leaves, Ric is deep in thought, and we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get yet another recap, this time of Randy Orton spitting black fluid up.
Dana Brooke & Mandy Rose vs. Lana & Naomi
Lana and Naomi with an early advantage, Lana spikes Brooke with a one-handed bulldog for two! Dana with a cover, no dice, front chancery, tag to Rose. Scoop and a slam, Mandy off the ropes with a running knee, still just two! Quick tags, working Lana over, she gets away for the tag, double X-Factor...
Lana & Naomi win by pinfall with a tandem X-Factor on Mandy Rose.
AJ Styles makes his entrance, flanked by his Big Buddy Omos as usual, he’ll be in action after the break.
AJ Styles vs. Ricochet
Ricochet right in with a dropkick, lighting Styles up with kicks and sending him to the floor! AJ charges back in, caught with a body slam, powerdrive elbows, only one! Styles suplexes him into the turnbuckles, reverse chinlock applied to slow the pace down. Ricochet catches a kick and pushes AJ into the corner with strikes, breaking at referee Shawn Bennett’s behest!
Styles with a throat thrust for breathing room, front kick, gourdbuster into the ropes, catch him on the rebound, Ricky with a hurricanrana... NOT ENOUGH! Bridging suplex... STILL NO! Off the top, nobody home, fireman’s carry, AJ slips out and crumples him with a knee strike! Lifting him up...
AJ Styles wins by pinfall with the Styles Clash.
Post-match, Omos lifts Ricochet up by his face and plants him with a ridiculously elevated chokebomb!
Commentary hypes up tonight’s episode of Raw Talk.
Miz and John Morrison are chatting backstage, strategizing about what they need to do about the title scene, when Braun Strowman rolls up and they walk off.
Bobby Lashley vs. Braun Strowman
Miz is on commentary for this one.
Collar and elbow, struggling around the ring, referee Eddie Orengo breaks it up when they get in the corner. Bob with a waistlock takedown, Strowman stares him down, waistlock, standing switch, Braun with a takedown of his own into mounted punches! Lashley draws himself up, whip across, elbows in the corner, charging in for a corner body avalanche!
Lifting Bob up, he hangs onto the ropes and Strowman tosses him to the floor! Braun heads out after him, freight train but Lashley leaps clean up on the apron to sidestep the big man on his charge! Diving lariat off the steps, throwing Strowman back inside! Bob ducks a lariat, basement dropkick to the knee that he chop blocked earlier! Reverse STO connects... NOPE!
Braun blocks the Hurt Lock, Lashley goes for a suplex, denied, Strowman with a kidney shot and then a lariat! Braun gets him up, running powerslam... BOBBY LASHLEY KICKS OUT! Lashley hits a spinebuster, off the ropes...
Bobby Lashley wins by pinfall with a spear, ensuring that he alone will challenge the Miz for the WWE Championship next week.
Post-match, Lashley takes Braun’s legs out again and chokes him out with the Hurt Lock! The Miz runs in with the title in hand but Bob takes him out! Lying in wait while MVP cheers him on... SPEAR TO MIZ!
Lashley poses in the turnbuckles with the WWE Championship while we get some highlights from the match.
That’s the show, folks.