Randy Orton summoned The Fiend, Drew McIntyre earned an important WWE Title Match advantage, Rhea Ripley, The Miz and Braun Strowman laid out WrestleMania challenges, and more.
Raw results: March 22, 2021
Bobby Lashley def. Sheamus
Twenty-four hours after a grueling No Holds Barred defeat to Drew McIntyre at WWE Fastlane, Sheamus stepped up for a battle with Bobby Lashley to open Raw. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, The Celtic Warrior fought back against Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin, but The All Mighty prevailed with a Hurt Lock. As The Hurt Business unleashed on Sheamus after the match, Drew McIntyre stormed into the ring attempting to goad the WWE Champion into a fight.
Asuka def. Peyton Royce
Peyton Royce made an impassioned plea on Raw Talk for an opportunity to face Asuka a few weeks ago. The challenger nearly made the most of it with a double stomp to the back of the Raw Women’s Champion, but The Empress of Tomorrow rallied into an Asuka Lock to shut down Royce’s gritty effort. The real brutality followed after the match, as Rhea Ripley made her Raw debut and extended a WrestleMania challenge to Asuka, which the Raw Women's Champion immediately accepted.
The Miz def. Jeff Hardy
The Miz laid down a brash WrestleMania challenge for Bad Bunny, then set out to prove his headlining status in a matchup with Jeff Hardy. The Charismatic Enigma nearly pulled off the win with a series of splashes, but The A-Lister hit a Skull-Crushing Finale for an Awesome win. After the match, Bad Bunny emerged with a smash-hit guitar strike to The Miz and an emphatic acceptance of his WrestleMania offer.
Kofi Kingston def. AJ Styles
The New Day called into question the chemistry of AJ Styles & Omos, as the two teams barrel toward a WrestleMania showdown. Kofi Kingston and AJ Styles traded haymakers in a battle of former WWE Champions, but as Xavier Woods lured Omos outside the ring, the Raw Tag Team Champion landed an S.O.S. to set up the pin.
Drew McIntyre def. Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin – 1-on-2 Handicap Match
Wary of the presence of Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin heading into his WWE Title clash with Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre made a proposal to Adam Pearce to remove The Hurt Business duo from ringside of his WrestleMania match if he was able to beat them in a Handicap Match. The Scottish Warrior matched the best efforts of both men and sent Alexander into orbit with an earth-shattering Claymore to bar the pair from ringside at WrestleMania.
Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler def. Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke
Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler have put Raw on notice with their dominance, and the addition of Reginald has provided a whole new wild card to their powerful reign. Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke showed flashes of promise once again, but a circus act from Reginald opened the door for a Samoan Drop from Jax to give the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions another win.
Braun Strowman def. Elias
What Elias brings in showmanship, he may lack in common sense, as the artist mocked Braun Strowman’s intelligence in a pre-match number. The Monster Among Men took exception from the start, and The Strowman Express rolled to a win with a Running Powerslam. After busting the myth on Shane McMahon’s apparent knee injury, Strowman challenged Shane O-Mac to a WrestleMania clash.
Randy Orton summoned The Fiend
Armed with a can of gasoline, Randy Orton was looking to put an end to The Fiend and Alexa Bliss once and for all. Despite an RKO for the deformed demon, The Viper fell into the twisted duo’s trap, as a Mandible Claw and Sister Abigail left him staring at the ceiling, and Bliss pointed to the WrestleMania sign to set up a dark showdown at The Showcase of the Immortals.
Bobby Lashley set for pivotal rematch with Sheamus
The stage is set for Bobby Lashley’s WrestleMania collision with Drew McIntyre.
But first, the WWE Champion will battle McIntyre’s archnemesis, Sheamus, tonight in a non-title matchup on Raw at 8/7 C on USA Network.
The battle figures to be heated after a highly physical encounter last week in which The All Mighty prevailed. With just three weeks left before WrestleMania, Lashley will no doubt be looking to send Show of Shows opponent McIntyre an emphatic message.
Sheamus, meanwhile, is 24 hours removed from a barbaric No Holds Barred Match against McIntyre. While The Celtic Warrior pushed McIntyre to his limit in a grueling war, The King of Claymore Country claimed victory.
Still enraged that McIntyre received the WrestleMania opportunity he coveted, will Sheamus prove he was overlooked? Or will The All Mighty once again bulldoze his way to victory?
Is Peyton Royce ready for Asuka?
Will Peyton Royce regret her wish for a match with Asuka?
Royce will get her chance in a non-title bout against the Raw Women’s Champion tonight on Raw.
Recently demanding an opportunity on Raw Talk, Royce gets the matchup she so passionately advocated for.
Meanwhile, The Empress of Tomorrow unleashed an even more vicious side of herself last week. Asuka defeated Shayna Baszler in singles action, then retaliated in brutal fashion for an attack weeks ago by The Queen of Spades.
Is Royce ready for Asuka? Or will she rue her wish to face one of the most dominant champions in recent memory?
Find out tonight on Raw at 8/7 C on USA Network!
Kofi Kingston set to go one on one with AJ Styles
The New Day are back on top of the tag team division, but one of their most unique challenges lies ahead at WrestleMania.
Before Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods defend the Raw Tag Team Titles against AJ Styles & Omos on The Grandest Stage of Them All, Kingston will go one on one with Styles tonight on Raw.
Kingston & Woods knocked off The Hurt Business to make history as 11-time Tag Team Champions. The celebration was short-lived, though, as they encountered a WrestleMania challenge immediately afterward from Styles and his personal colossus.
Tune in to Raw tonight at 8/7 C on USA Network to see which team lands the first blow ahead of their WrestleMania showdown!
