RAW Results and Recap: Get These Olympic Hands

LaToya Ferguson
(source: WWE)
Monday Night RAW – February 4, 2019

You can read more about the opening segment of this week’s RAW—in which Becky Lynch got suspended indefinitely—here.


Ronda Rousey def. Liv Morgan

You can read more about Ronda Rousey versus two-thirds of The Riott Squad—back-to-back—here.

Ronda Rousey def. Sarah Logan


Backstage, Charly Caruso interviews Sasha Banks and Bayley about how they both suffered “devastating” championship losses to Ronda Rousey, calling these particular losses “failures.” Sasha doesn’t take too kindly that particular phrasing, but Bayley is able to calm her down and let Charly know that they took Ronda to the limit… but now their minds are on the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship.

In fact, they have their Elimination Chamber qualifying match tonight… against Alicia Fox and Nikki Cross. Nikki Cross says “the Fox embraces the chaos,” which is definitely true and totally explains this team-up.


The Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder) def. Heavy Machinery (Otis Dozovic & Tucker Knight), Lucha House Party (Lince Dorado & Gran Metalik), & The B-Team (Curtis Axel & Bo Dallas) in a Four Corners Tag Team match, for the #1 Contendership to the RAW Tag Team Championship

According to Michael Cole, since this type of match was used to determine the #1 Contendership to the Tag Team Championship over on SmackDown—a match Heavy Machinery were actually in, so they have an advantage—Vince McMahon decided to do the same over on RAW. And Heavy Machinery actually do seem to have the advantage here. (They definitely have the WWE Universe behind them.)

But The Revival are finally able to have The B-Team’s number, as a Shatter Machine on Bo Dallas gets them the win.


Backstage, Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder are bummed they weren’t even in that match. Hawkins admits he’s “toxic,” and he says that if Ryder had any other partner right now, he would’ve been in that match. But Ryder points out how WWE spelled his name wrong last week (they did), “ZACH.” Ryder says they’re both “losers,” so there’s no way Hawkins can bring him down any lower. They have past accolades, and they can get back to that glory. Together.


According to Corey Graves, there have been rumors this week (which just began today) about Kurt Angle possibly retiring. And once Angle gets in the ring, it sounds like the rumors might be true.

Angle talks about “the three I’s” and how he’s accomplished so much in his WWE career. (He also reminds us about his son, Jason Jordan.) “But lately the 3 I’s have turned into the 3 D’s.” That would be doubt, defeat, and depression. All thanks to Drew McIntyre and Baron Corbin. He’s beaten ‘em all, but he can’t beat “Father Time,” and…

Baron Corbin interrupts, saying “You did this to yourself.” and that no one should feel sorry for Angle. He says Angle should’ve retired two years ago at his Hall of Fame induction. “You’re nothing more than a broken down shadow of a man,” he says. That firesAngle up, and he threatens to break Corbin’s ankle… but out comes Drew McIntyre, who claims he saw “fear” in Angle’s eyes right before he tapped him out to his own ankle lock. But he knows Angle won’t ever truly give up, until someone makes him give up—which is exactly what he and Corbin plan to do right now, “put [Angle] down for good.”

The two Superstars swarm the ring, but Braun Strowman comes out to save the day. First, McIntyre gets these hands, which allows Angle to take out Corbin. Strowman throws a rolling chair and Corbin, and all McIntyre and Corbin can do now is run.



Bayley & Sasha Banks def. Alicia Fox & Nikki Cross

It’s time for the Elimination Chamber qualification match… and Alicia Fox and Nikki Cross attack Sasha Banks and Bayley immediately during their entrance. Bayley tries to fight back, but Sasha is down for the count, and the damn numbers game is too much for her.

Despite this happening at the top of the ramp, it takes way too long for officials to come and break this up, and honestly, they do a worse job at breaking this chaos up than they did Becky Lynch’s attack on Stephanie McMahon.

Somehow, Bayley and Sasha Banks decide to continue on with this match. But it really is a handicap match, as Sasha can’t even stand up at the corner. (During the attack, she was lifeless.) Bayley has to fight with everything she has to stay alive, although Sasha is able to save Bayley at one point. And it’s a crucial point, as while Sasha never officially tags in, that life-saving moment allows Bayley to defeat Fox with a quick roll-up.


Backstage, Apollo Crews says he believes in Kurt Angle, which for some reason causes Drake Maverick to come out and mock him (with Rezar in tow). So now Apollo has made an enemy out of the AOP.


Elias def. Jeff Jarrett

Road Dogg comes out first to do his Road Dogg shtick before introducing Jeff Jarrett, and again, they sing “With My Baby Tonight.” Elias lets them sing it all before he interrupts, but he also praises the Maroon 5 Super Bowl halftime show, so he really is a scumbag. And he’s a scumbag who beats up an old man—two old men, as he takes out Road Dogg too—before officially defeating Jeff Jarrett in a hard-fought victory. But then he’s jumped from behind by Road Dogg and hit in the back with a guitar from behind by Jeff Jarrett.


Dana Brooke apologizes to Natalya for their loss in last week’s Elimination Chamber qualification match, but Natalya gives her the silent treatment. So, Dana she goes from sorry to angry and promises to find a McMahon to give her a singles match against Natalya next week, to prove she belongs here on RAW.

Dana leaves, and that’s when we see it: Natalya wasn’t giving her the silent treatment. She was wearing earbuds the whole time. She didn’t even know Dana was there.


Finn Balor is medically cleared to compete, but Charly Caruso points out he’s clearly working hurt. “The Irish are stubborn when wounded,” Finn says, even noting Becky Lynch’s behavior earlier tonight. But he says he “won’t be pushed around” or “held down,” and he “won’t stop pushing forward.” He’s going to bring the fight to Bobby Lashley just like he did Brock Lesnar, and he plans to take Lashley’s Intercontinental Championship too, first chance he gets.


Finn Balor def. Lio Rush

Before the match, Lio Rush mocks Finn Balor for thinking he has a chance, calling this match “mouse vs. Mack truck.” According to Rush, Balor “shouldn’t even be talking about the Intercontinental Championship.” Then Bobby Lashley chimes in to say, “Newsflash: I’m better than Brock Lesnar.” He says Balor needs to start facing people his own size, so instead of an Intercontinental Championship match against Lashley tonight, he’s facing Lio Rush. (If he “entertain[s]” Lashley enough, then maybe Lashley will give him the title match.) But first, before the bell rings, Lashley beats Balor down, making things easier for Rush. (Rush is, in fact, smaller than Balor, by the way.)

Rush is immediately on Balor once the match starts, but that mostly just makes Balor angry. He beats the crap out of Rush, to the point Lashley gets involved… and ends up being sent to the back by the referee.

“The Man of the Hour” is honestly able to take his opponent to the limit during this match and show the WWE Universe just how impressive he is—much more impressive than he is a big mouth, if possible—but he still falls to a Coup de Grace from Balor. Once the match is over, Lashley immediately runs out to the ring for revenge, but Balor doesn’t stick around for that.


Whoa, Paige is here. “Did you miss me,” she asks, and the WWE Universe definitely. She’s out here to promote the new movie coming out about her life, Fighting With My Family.


Now it’s time for A Moment of Bliss, and her guest this week is EC3. Bliss wants to know what his choice of brand is going to be: RAW or SmackDown? But before he can answer, the show is interrupted and hijacked by Nia Jax and Tamina. (Bliss even realizes she won’t ever get through a single show without being interrupted.) Nia’s here to talk about her recent accomplishments, saying how this is really her moment, not Bliss’. So what’s she going to do next? Well, she might just fill in for Becky Lynch at WrestleMania. Or—

She’ll get interrupted herself, this time by Dean Ambrose. “How dare you interrupt my interrupt,” Nia asks him. Ambrose apologizes to Bliss, but he wants to say something to Nia… specifically, how much she clearly has a crush on him because of his “raw sexual magnetism.” (Renee Young is surprised by this point, that’s for sure.)

Ambrose then notices EC3, wonders who he is, and knocks the microphone out of the man’s hand. He decides to interview EC3 himself, only he doesn’t let him speak. He calls him “some kind of mute Chippendale dancer” who won’t just get in the ring. Finally, it looks like EC3 will say something, but instead, he punches Ambrose out and walks straight to the ring for his first match on Monday Night RAW.


EC3 def. Dean Ambrose

EC3 shows off his five-star moves against Dean Ambrose, and while Ambrose didn’t take him seriously before, once can only assumes he takes him a little more seriously once EC3 pins him with a jackknife cover. So, EC3 debut match on Monday Night RAW—and the main roster in general—is a win against a former WWE Champion.


It’s another week, and Mojo Rawley is still talking to the man in the mirror. Not even in a motivational way, but in a mental breakdown way. “Forget the team! Now, it’s all about YOU,” he tells himself.


Baron Corbin & Drew McIntyre def. Braun Strowman & Kurt Angle, via Disqalification

Kurt Angle starts the match off against Baron Corbin, and while Angle and Strowman are able to get an early advantage, the momentum shifts once Corbin fights off an ankle lock and McIntyre headbutts a defenseless Angle. Then Corbin and McIntyre are on Angle, essentially proving their point. Angle needs to tag Strowman in, but he can’t, and McIntyre taunts “The Monster Among Men” for not being able to get into the ring.

Then McIntyre adds insult to injury when he reverses an Angle Slam to do one of his own on Angle. Then, again, he puts Angle in the ankle lock. Angle holds on while the WWE Universe cheers him on, and he’s able to roll out of the hold before he tags in Strowman. And then Strowman is just on fire. He takes down Corbin first and then focuses on “The Scottish Psychopath.” But a little bit of smart thinking puts McIntyre and Corbin back on top, with Corbin tagging in to legally beat down Strowman.

Eventually, Strowman is able to tag Angle back in. Angle suplexes the hell out of Corbin before knocking McIntyre away, and then he gives Corbin an Angle Slam that is only not the end because McIntyre breaks up the pin. Strowman comes in to give McIntyre these hands, and then he goes after Corbin, who says he’ll be DQ’d if he touches him. Somehow, that ends up being true, with the referee showing no leniency whatsoever in this match. But Strowman doesn’t care, and he continues to attack Corbin, only stopping once McIntyre hits him with a Claymore Kick over the barricade.

Then, McIntyre and Corbin get to work on Angle, keeping their world on ending Angle’s career. Strowman’s able to save Angle at the last minute though, chokeslamming McIntyre and then Corbin into the steel steps in the middle of the ring to close out RAW.


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