Raw Preshow Notes
– Trying to recap the preshow for you, but I’ve got a double whammy working against me. One, I’m having some issues with my Internet Service Provider this evening… and TWO, this WWE Network is freezing the hell up on me like crazy. Not sure if it’s the connection or the Network but this Raw Preshow is freezing more than playing…. From what I have seen they’ve hyped up the Seth Rollins/Jon Stewart stuff for tonight pretty good…
They also begin to discuss the hairy IC Title situation, and all of the guys who all of a sudden want the belt. They confirm the Ladder match for Mania, but have no clue who will be in it.
Talk of what’s next for John Cena, and his WrestleMania battle with Rusev. This is followed by Roman Reigns/Brock Lesnar chatter…
As you’d expect, these Raw Preshows will be more like WrestleMania preshows up through the event… Due to my terrible internet connection and/or WWE Network freezing up I was only able to view parts of the spreshow and may have missed a few tidbits for Raw… My apologies, but that’s the breaks…
WWE Raw Report 3/2/15 from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ
– Seth Rollins & J&J Security are out first as we’re treated to video footage of Seth on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Seth invited Stewart to meet him on Raw tonight. Back to the ring, Seth says he has received word that Jon Stewart is on his way to the building. Seth warns Jon to turn around and not show up, he says this is not a Jerry Lawler/Andy Kaufman situation, this is real… Seth puts himself over, and unlike the Daily Show where tickets are given away for free, everyone pays to see Seth Rollins…
Cue Roman Reigns, for some reason… Probably because Brock Lesnar is an arse… Reigns informs Rollins that he sucks. Rollins continues to put himself over however, and states that he will be the next WWE Champion. Rollins says Reigns can’t beat Brock Lesnar, but Seth can. Fans don’t give a shit and chant for “Daniel Bryan” and then “CM Punk”.
Reigns lays some boring diatribe and then offer Seth Rollins an opportunity to cash in his Money In The Bank briefcase and join the Main Event of WrestleMania and make it a Triple Threat…. Rollins says he COULD do that, but he’d rather cash in on whose left standing, or MAYBE he could cash in the following night. Or MAYBE he can just cash in when it’s least expected….
Roman Reigns replies by MAYBE punching Seth in the mouth… No maybe about it… He does… Rollins goes down, J&J Security attack Reigns, SUPERMAN PUNCH to Noble, Roman spears Mercury… Rollins staggers his way to the back.
– We learn from the announcers that Seth Rollins is going to host his own version of the Daily Show later tonight. Also tonight Nikki Bella defends her title against Paige. “IC Champion” Dean Ambrose is next!
–Commercial Break–
– On the WWE App, R-Truth makes his way to ringside for some more guest commentary… This should be good…
– Backstage with Seth Rollins and J&J Security, they bump into Randy Orton. Randy trashes Security for allowing Reigns to get at Seth. Orton tries to talk Rollins into working Reigns one on one tonight. Oh that clever Orton. Randy says that way Rollins can prove he can beat Reigns. Rollins tells Randy he can beat ANYONE and stares down Orton. Seth says he will handle it his way. Orton says he was just trying to help.
1. Dean Ambrose (w/the IC Title) vs. IC Champion Bad News Barrett (w/o the title)
Non-title here. Cole asks Truth why he gave the belt back to Ambrose on Smackdown, Truth doesn’t really have an answer to that… It’s back and forth in the ring, mostly Ambrose. Dean hits the bulldogs and goes up top but gets crotched… Barrett takes over with a series of knee strikes and Dean goes to the floor. R-Truth is a much better commentator than you’d think… Barrett taunts R-Truth from the ring and we already head back to commercial.
On the App, Dean slides back in the ring but BNB remains in control. Chinlock time. Dena escapes and Barrett bets him across the top rope until covering for 2… BNB chokes Dean across the middle rope, Ambrose fights back but runs right into a BIG BOOT from BNB, and a pair of kneedrops get 2. BNB tosses Dean back to the floor and follows him out as the App coverage ends…
Back from break, and we’re already back inside with BNB holding a chinlock. Dean escapes but ends up back outside again, and both fighters are right in front of R-Truth. Barrett taunts Truth, but Truth don’t bite. BNB shoves Truth back into his seat, but Truth remains calm… Meanwhile, Dean comes flying out onto BNB with a suicide dive, and then Ambrose with a top rope diving elbow to the floor… Dean sends BNB back in the ring while R-Truth steal the IC Title once again….
Back in the ring, Dean fires up but runs into WINDS OF CHANGE for 2… LUKE HARPER RANOMLY STANDS BEHIND R-TRUTH… AWWWW SHIT… This ladder match just got SWEETER!!!! Truth looks up at Harper, who just stares down at him… Truth just hands the IC Title to Luke Harper…. Truth compares Harper to the Walking Dead, he was scared son!!!
Harper walks off with the IC Title, which distracts Barrett who was setting up for the Bull Hammer… Ambrose takes advantage and lands DIRTY DEEDS for the win in 9:18.
After the match, Ambrose comes out looking for his IC Title but it’s gone… Dean looks confused, R-Truth shows Dean that he doesn’t have it…
DAMN, did a lot of shit just happen in a matter of 10 minutes…
– We go back to last week to relive the Miz/Sandow issues backstage…
– Back to live Raw, The Miz has invited Sandow, Divas, and other random undercard stars to view his new commercial… Sandow tries to warn Miz not to show the commercial in front of everyone, but the Miz insists… It turns out to be an Erectile Disfunction Commercial for “Niagara” Pills… Miz talks about it being “soft and useless”. When the commercial ends everyone is laughing at Miz… Somehow Miz didn’t know what the commercial was about. Sandow says he tries to warn him…
Miz says Sandow set him up. Miz says Sandow is only here because of Miz and Miz SLAPS THE SHIT OUYT OF SANDOW…. SANDOW STARES BACK ANGRILY!!!!!!
Miz warns Sandow before he does anything to remember where he was. If Sandow hits Miz, then Sandow will be gone. Sandow slowly calms down and apologizes to Miz… Sandow takes some deep breaths and tries to calm himself. VIRRRRRGILLLLLL.
–Commercial Break–
– On the App Tom Phillips interviews Cesaro, Tyson Kidd, and Natalya… Thank God these things don’t make it to air… There was so much line flubbing in this promo it’s no wonder they feel the need to script these guys.
– Back from break, BRAY WYATT on his way to the ring! Bray wonders what is truly left of the mighty Undertaker. Is he still the same or has he fallen to the hands of time? Bray Wyatt asks the Undertaker to come out. Wyatt shows off a casket that me made specifically for the Undertaker. Wyatt then pulls out a gas can. He talks about loving fire, how it destroys everything, just like him. Wyatt dumps the fluid all over the casket. Where Wyatt comes from, everything burns, and at WrestleMania, the Undertaker will burn… Wyatt sets the casket on fire and begs the Undertaker to FIND HIM…
–Commercial Break–
– On the App Tom Phillips is standing with the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal trophy. He says that later tonight they will reveal another participant in the match right here in the App… 30 wrestlers and you’re going to reveal ONE more? Wow, big news Tom!
2. The Usos & Naomi vs. WWE Tag Champs Cesaro & Tyson Kid, and Natalya
Tyson and Jey start. Double team work by the heels and they take over. Jey comes back with a Samoan Drop on Cesaro, but Cesaro escapes the butt bash in the corner and rolls to the floor. Naomi tags in, so Natalya has to enterThey do the Flair/Steamboat bridge into a backslide spot. Natalya does an up and over spot and sells her leg as “injured”. Nattie manages to knock Naomi to the floor and tag in Kidd. Jimmy Uso comes in for his team and goes to work, Whisper in the Wind on Kidd. The Usos set up for a double superkick but Tyson tags in the injured Natalya… Evil heel, tagged in his injured wife instead of taking a superkick… Nattie looks shocked, and Naomi rolls her up for the win in 2:45 or so…
Natalya is pissed after the match, “you knew it was hurt” she screams to the heels… Kidd finally hugs her and the trio leave together.
– Rollins vs. Reigns is confirmed for tonight… THREE segments with Rollins??? It’s HHH 2000 all over again…
– John Cena is out next to discuss his plans for WrestleMania.
–Commercial Break–
– On the App we learn that ZACK RYDER has joined the Andre Battle Royal… What a breaking news bit!!! Ryder says he plans to eliminate Adam Rose from the Battle Royal first… In case you’re wondering, the two have some sort of internet twitter war thingy going on. Zack beats Rose on Superstars tapings for this week.
– John Cena on his way out to discuss WrestleMania plans after being shot down by Rusev last week… Cena claims to be through with Rusev, for now. He’s not going to beg or push for a fight with Rusev. He instead enters himself into the Andre the Giant Battle Royal, LMAO…. I can’t believe he kept a straight face when he delivered that line.
Stephanie McMahon interrupts… UGH. Stephanie wants to know since when do Superstars declare themselves in matches? Cena starts droipping names of everyone who already DECLARED themselves in the match, lol… Kinda funny… Stephanie says Cena is disrespecting Andre the Giant and shows a pic of herself with Andre from 1985. She says Cena has belittled Andre and she refuses to let him in the match.
Cena says from the picture shown, Stephanie wasn’t the bitch she is now. Cena lists his credentials and says he figured he’d have a spot at Mania… Stephanie says Cena can’t get the job done anymore so maybe they leave Cena off the show. Cena can’t fathom WWE not using him, but Stephanie insists Cena will sit this WrestleMania out… She asks the fans if they want Cena to sit out, “YES” chants follow.. lol
She said it’s not where would WWE be without John Cena, it’s where would Cena be without WWE. This was a pretty god promo from both ends, but the fans are heeling Cena and popping for Steph…
CUE CURTIS AXEL, WTF… AXELMANIA IS RUNNING WILD…. Curtis Axel offers to wrestle Rusev at WrestleMania. He butters up Stephanie. AXELMANIA chants begin… LOL, wtf….
Stephanie books Cena vs. Axel right now. Stephanie tells Cena the only way Cena works Mania is if he can get Rusev to change his mind and accept….
Axel asks Cena “WHATCHA GONNA DO WHEN AXEL MANIA RUNS WILD ON YOU??” AND HE RIPS HIS FUCKING SHIRT OFF!!!! This is great….
Cena offers Axel one chance to leave the ring. If Axel doesn’t leave, Cena will not let him WALK out of the arena… Cena is coming off the doucher here… The wrong crowd for this angle…
–Commercial Break–
– WWE App shows clips of Hulk Hogan Appreciation Night from MSG last Friday.
– Sheamus is returning… We promise.
3. John Cena vs. Curtis Axel
Poor Curtis, just started getting over… And then this… Axel plays up the crowd throwing his “Axe Man” chop in the air, then he does the Hogan ear thing. Cena watches on in a pissed off manor. Axel starts doing Hulk Hogan poses to chants of “AxelMania”… Cena finally explodes with a clothesline and the crowd boos the shit out of him. Cena pops Axel with a hard punch, but Axel sees the WrestleMania sign and starts to HULK UP!!!!! Cena clotheslines him again though, and an AA, and the STF gets the tap out in just over 2:00….
Pretty sure Axel can still walk John…. Not very good at keeping promises….
– Now out comes Lana & Rusev to the stage to taunt John Cena. Rusev says it’s up to him whether he faces Cena at Mania or not… The fans chant YES, but Rusev says it’s not the fans decision… USA and Rusev Sucks chants follow… Rusev says his answer remains NO…. Russian Flag drops behind Cena as Rusev & Lana taunt John further…
– Michael Cole sits down with legends Michael Hayes and Arn Anderson to discuss Sting. We get like 10 seconds of the interview.
– Jack Swagger is on the WWE App, he apologizes to Andre the Giant statue for breaking him last year and he asks Andre if he can be in the Battle Royal again this year. Apparently Andre says yes and calls him a jabronie… This was actually funny, to me anyway… “Mr. Giant, I’m sorry for breaking you last year”. lol…
–Commercial Break–
– HHH on his way out to the ring to address Sting………. again….. HHH says he told Vince in 1995 all he wanted was an opportunity, 20 years later he made the most of his opportunity. At Fast lane, he offered Sting an opportunity for his immortality and live forever in merchandising, but Sting turned all that down for one fleeting moment at WrestleMania. HHH says Sting chose to do it with the wrong guy… HHH says he will make sure it seems like Sting never existed.
HHH talks about why he thinks Sting never came here. HHH calls Booker T into the ring to talk about Sting, since Booker has known him since 1993. HHH heard Booker on commentary a bit ago when Booker implied that Sting wanted to come here, but he never came to WWE because HHH prevented it…. HHH wants to know why Booker said that. Booker instead believes the theory that HHH held Sting out, but doesn’t blame HHH for doing it. Booker says maybe he would have done the same thing in Trips position…
HHH mocks the internet fans, says Booker is like them, none of them know anything about company politics. Booker talks about Sting and his loyalty. Booker says nobody could ever control Sting, not Flair, not Hogan, not NWO, not Eric Bischoff. Booker reminds HHH that Sting is here now, and HHH has to deal with it….
HHH thinks if nobody can control Sting, why didn’t he ever come. HHH thinks Sting never wanted to come here…. HHH starts talking about CONTROL and having power to do whatever he wants… Trips talks about having power, Booker havng none, HHH then FIRES Booker T….
Booker T stares down HHH, then picks his stuff up from the announce table and leaves… Booker gets half way up the aisle when HHH stops him… HHH then tells Booker he was just messing with him, he’s not fired, he likes Booker…. HHH was just making an example of what control is… HHH wanted to show everyone who has ULTIMATE CONTROL….
HHH says he will take advantage of that opportunity and end Sting at WrestleMania…
HHH passes Booker in the aisle, says some words and pats his shoulder… Booker isn’t too happy as he walks back to the announce table.
So now what, does HHH use this “CONTROL” to force Booker to attack Sting during their match at Mania? Was this foreshadowing? Who knows… It’s the WWE…
–Commercial Break–
– WWE App: Renee Young interviews Paige from earlier tonight. Paige says she learned how to play the game early, and tonight she plans to be 3 time Divas champion.
4. Divas Champion Nikki Bella (w/Brie) vs. Paige
The title IS on the line here, so let’s see if AJ does show up… Lilian treats this match as a big deal, announcing champ and challenger after their entrances. Paige is on the offense to start and has Nikki down and out. Paige goes for her submission hold but Nikki reaches the ropes and rolls to the floor… We go to commercial… During a Divas match??? Okay.
On the App, Paige hits a baseball slide kick on Nikki then brings her back inside… Nikki Bella takes over with the Alabama Slam and continues control. Nikki grabs a chinlock, Paige tries to escape, but Nikki turns it into a backbreaker to keep control and we go back to USA…
Back from break, Nikki has Paige in a surfboard stretch. Paige breaks free. Nikki with a SPINEBUSTER however and gets a near fall… The girls do a double clothesline spot and knock the crap out of each other. Paige makes her comeback, dropkick gets 2. Paige goes for her PTO submission again, but Brie on the apron…. SUPERKICK ON BRIE!!!! Paige Superkicks Nikki…. Paige locks in the PTO on Nikki!!!!!! WILL SHE TAP?????? BRIE ATTACKS TO SAVE HER SISTER’S TITLE!!! DQ win for Paige in 6:30…
The Bellas double team Paige after the match… Crowd chants for AJ and……. wudda ya know? AJ LEE comes running to the ring!!!! AJ IS A HOUSE-O-FIRE!!! AJ beats the crap out of both Bellas… Thesz Press and punches on Brie, and Nikki attacks AJ from behind, but PAIGE SUPERKICKS NIKKI!!! AJ & Paige form a mutual sisterhood to send the Bellas out of the ring… AJ has returned, and another Mania match is confirmed… I think.
“CM PUNK” chants start up. Shocker.
–Commercial Break–
– Renee Young is in the back with AJ Lee… Paige joins them, she wants to know why AJ saved her… AJ says she’s been watching the Bellas bully everyone in the Divas division, and she’s back to put an end to that… AJ tells Paige that the enemy of her enemy is her friend… Paige says that’s a good thing, she thinks…
– It’s time for Seth Rollins “Daily Show” Segment… He has a desk set up in the ring and has J&J Security with him. We’re shown recent footage between Seth & Jon Stewart from the real Daily Show. Seth asks where Stewart was right now. Seth continues to bash Newark, and New Jersey as a whole. Rollins bashes Stewart’s failure as a director and at the Oscars last year. Seth says Stewart wants to retire on his own terms, and if he showed up tonight that Seth would retire him…
CUE JON STEWART on his way to the ring…. Stewart takes a seat as Seth’s guest. Jon makes some jokes at Seth’s expense. Stewart talks about Seth never earning anything. Unlike guys like Bruno Sammartino, Gorilla Monsoon, Stone Cold, and the Undertaker… Seth took a shortcut by joining the Authority…
Stewarts admits how much better Seth is than him in many ways, but Stewart has respect and Seth doesn’t. Stewart says Authority doesn’t respect Rollins, because Reigns has the World title match at Mania, not Seth… Stewart keeps running down Seth until Seth and J&J corner Jon… Seth puts his hands on Stewart and shakes him around…
CUE RANDY ORTON…. Orton slowly starts to walk out which distracts Rollins… JON STEWART WITH A LOW BLOW ON SETH ROLLINS… And Stewart escapes… Orton walks down to ringside, then decides that he should leave… lol…
Orton walks to the back, Stewart runs off, and Rollins is left selling in the ring…
Double whammy, Stewart gets to play this on his show for the world to see, and they worked Orton into the angle, all be it a little corny…
–Commercial Break–
– WWE App interview with Ryback about the Andre Battle Royal.
– Renee Young with Jon Stewart backstage. She wonders if Stewart will return to WWE after he retires from Daily Show. Jon says he was winded just talking so he will need to train. Stewart takes off in fear of running into Seth Rollins…
5. Daniel Bryan vs. Luke Harper (w/the IC Title)
I assume this confirms Bryan is part of the Ladder Match. Talk about dropping the ball there… Probably the greatest list of talent in a ladder match ever, but lots of these guys deserve something more high profile… I’ll enjoy the match though! 🙂
Harper attacks Bryan immediately. Bryan comes back with a drop toehold on Luke to the middle buckle… Bryan with a corner dropkick, but Harper catches Daniel on the second try and flings him over the top rope to the floor as we go to break…
Match continues on the App… They’re brawling on the floor, Harper sends Daniel into the stairs. Back inside, Luke continues to beat on Bryan… Daniel eventually sends Harper to the floor and lands a SUICIDE DIVE…. YES Chants as we head back to Raw…
Back from break, the guys are back inside… Bryan with YES kicks on Harper. Luke Harper tosses Bryan like a LAWN DART into a Snake Eyes… DAMMMMMN that looked dangerous as all hell… Bryan hit the middle buckle…. Harper then follows with a HALF NELSON SUPLEX!!! 1….2……Bryan kicks out.
Harper tries a Powerbomb, Daniel slides behind with a roll up for 2…. Harper comes back with a SUPERKICK for a near fall.. Harper locks in a submission, but Bryan reverses into the YES LOCK… And Harper taps…
Ending seemed a little abrupt.
Following the match, Bad News Barrett comes out to take his IC Title back, he begins to walk away but he’s attacked at the aisle by Dean Ambrose… AMbrose lays out Barrett and takes back the IC Title… The Luke Harper lays out Ambrose and takes the IC Title back. As Harper tries to recover, R-Truth sneaks up and takes the belt… Truth makes it to the aisle before Harper is in his face and won’t let him pass. Haprer gets the belt back from Truth and then lays R-T out with a clothesline on the floor… Harper slowly makes his way up the ramp when he turns into a SUPERKICK FROM DOLPH ZIGGLER at the top of the stage….
Ziggler takes the IC Title as the crowd eats it up… A camera then peers over the shoulder of Daniel Bryan, who is standing on the announce table during all of this… Ziggler climbs up a ladder placed on the stage and holds up the IC Title with intent. Bryan looks up at the Mania sign and continues with YES chants on his end… Looks like we have our six guys for Mania…
– ALUNDRA BLAYZE/MADUSA enters the WWE Hall of Fame!
– Backstage with Rollins & J&J Security. Randy Orton interrupts. Orton says he saved Seth by what he did earlier. Seth would have been sued and lost his job. Orton then offers his help to Rollins for the match with Reigns later tonight. Big Show & Kane show up and offer to help Reigns… Noble says “I guess we won’t need everybody out there”, implying that Orton can sit out… Orton tells the entire group to suit themselves, and walks away…
– WWE App features a Stardust interview… It’s as nutty as you’d expect…
–Commercial Break–
– Lilian Garcia introduces Paul Heyman in the ring. YES it’s true, Brock Lesnar will be at WrestleMania. Brock Lesnar will be anywhere he damn well pleases before Mania, and after Mania… Lesnar will be champion for as long as he damn well pleases… The mic screws up and Heyman takes a shot at New Jersey… Heyman mocks the fans for supporting Daniel Bryan. He talks about how Lesnar would have squashed Bryan. But instead we have Roman Reigns, but the mic goes out again… Heyman gets another mic.
Heyman FLAWLESSLY flows through all the microphone screw-ups to the point where it just flows right with the segment… Heyman rambles a mile a minute, Jim Cornette style, but it’s good stuff… He even manages to take some nasty shots at fans… This is pretty good shit. He says one of two things happen at Mania, Lesnar either picks apart Reigns, or he destroys him Ronda Rousey style…
Heyman’s mic goes out AGAIN……. LOL, he waits for it to work.. And finishes his promo… This guys is amazing….
CUE ROMAN REIGNS headed to the ring and we go to break….
– WWE App with Prime Time Players. I guess they’re in the Andre Battle Royal. Millions of Filler, Millions of Filler.
–Commercial Break–
6. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins (w/Kane, Big Show, J&J Security)
Reigns gets the better of Rollins early. Lots of “You can’t wrestle” chants directed at Reigns… I still have NO IDEA what they think the fans are going to do at Mania when Reigns works Lesnar… Seth eventually gains control and sends Reigns to the floor… J&J Security try to attack, but Reigns lays them out on the floor… Rollins tries to dive, but Reigns nails him as well… Reigns heads back inside but misses a charge in the corner and Rollins takes over when….. RANDY ORTON’S music hits! Orton slowly walks to ringside much to the confusion of the heel stable… And we’re off to our final commercial.
On the WWE App, Seth continues offense on Reigns, stomping him down in the corner. Orton stands in his own corner of the ring to observe.
Back from break, Reigns catches Seth coming off the top rope, but Seth slides behind and chop blocks Reigns. Rollins works a chinlock. Roman finally works his way out by landing a sidewalk slam of sorts… Rollins misses a corner splash and Roman takes over with his clothesline-a-mania stuff, and a titl-a-whirl slam gets 2 for Reigns… Roman goes for the Superman punch but Mercury grabs his leg. Reigns pulls Mercury into the ring and flings him back out… This allows Rollins to land the Pele enzuigiri kick. Seth then goes to the top rope, but Roman meets him there. Seth blocks a Superplex, but Reigns backdrops Rollins off the top rope!
Noble jumps onto the apron, but gets knocked off… Reigns covers Rollins but only gets 2. Rollins goes back up top again. Reigns dodges and rolls him up for 2, then Reigns picks Rollins up straight into a sit out Powerbomb for a near fall…. Both guys now down.
They trade punches and Seth gets backdropped to the floor! Reigns dives out onto Big Show nearby. Kane sneaks up and whacks Reigns with a steel chair… Rollins gets a 2 count off that… Seth misses a Curb Stomp and eats a SUPERMAN PUNCH!!!! Kane also takes a shot on the apron… Reigns gets ready for the spear, but Randy Orton grabs his foot!!! Seth then uses the distraction to roll up Reigns for the 1.2.3…… Wow… 15:32.
Orton slowly walks away on his own after the match. Roman Reigns then does a FLYING DIVE a la Undertaker over the top rope out onto Kane, Rollins & J&J… Reigns lays Kane out with a spear on the floor… Then a SPEAR to Big Show in the ring… Then Rollins comes flying off the top rope right into a SPEAR… And ROLLNS IS BROKEN IN HALF….
That was fun, the announcers sell how bad ass Reigns is and how Lesnar has trouble, but the crowd still isn’t buying it…
