Raw Review 03/30/2020

RAW REVIEW 03/30/2020

Tonight is the Go-Home Edition of Monday Night Raw before the airing of this Saturday and Sunday’s WrestleMania 36 PPV! Tonight there we will see four major appearances which are Becky Lynch, Edge, The Undertaker, and the WWE Champion Brock Lesnar! What will the build-ups be to each of these Superstars matches respectively and what else can we expect from this star-studded Raw?

Raw comes to us from the WWE Performance Center

Raw kicks off with a look at the rivalry between AJ Styles and The Undertaker!

Undertaker Promo:
Taker says AJ Styles or should I say Alan Jones since we’re getting real now. He says for a small man you have a big mouth. He tells Styles his mouth is writing checks his ass can’t cash. He says he has heard far worse from far better. He says some of what Styles said is true. He then tells how Styles said he wouldn’t want the Undertaker of 15 years ago. He lists a bunch of Superstars from the past and says Phenomenal One my ass you waited until they were all gone to come here. Taker says he knows everything Styles said was just business until he mentioned her. He tells Styles he is going to pay the ultimate price for disrespecting her, his wife, Michelle McCool. He tells Styles he is going to pay that price in a boneyard, that was Styles idea. He tells him “Try Me I’ll Make You Famous”. He then tells Styles to bring his two ass clowns with him and they will feel the wrath of the holy trinity he is bringing with him. He tells Styles he will hurt, he will suffer, and he will Rest In Peace. The camera pans out and we see Styles’ name on a Tombstone!
My Opinion:
A chilling, bad-A, and awesome promo from The Undertaker! I loved that he got personal with Styles just like Styles had gotten with him. This year really feels like Undertaker is coming for a fight with something to prove and something to fight for. For someone who has done everything in wrestling, the one thing he will always come back for is when someone speaks his name out of line and Styles did just that. I’m very excited to see just exactly what this Boneyard Match is all about. I think one way or another this will be a match that will be remembered, it’s going to be one for the ages!

Earlier Today: Becky Lynch
We see Becky Lynch arriving in her custom semi-truck. She then heads into the Performance Center. Lynch will be live, next!

In-Ring Segment: Becky Lynch
Lynch tells that last year at WrestleMania she fought two champions in one match. She tells of her journey from winning that match to getting where we are today. She then says let’s take a look and we go to the WrestleMania 35 main event between Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, and Ronda Rousey! This match was amazing, it may have been late into the night but these three gave it their all and showed why they earned the spot to be in the main event. Of course, Becky would go on to win this and she hasn’t let go of the Raw Women’s Championship since. Becky is on a roll that only happens every so often and I hope it continues as she has proven to be one of the best overall today!
After the airing of the match, we cut back to Lynch who says that was the first time she’s watched that back. She says history follows the ones that made it. She says it also brings on a lot of dopes. She talks about Shayna and tells her that she was right because if she did take the title it would destroy her. She tells Shayna don’t think I don’t know about your demons too. She says she is starting to get to Shayna. Like all the rest she has faced Shayna will come in fighting with emotion. She says finally Shayna will do the one thing her pal Ronda Rousey couldn’t do and that’s her demon, for once Shayna would steal Ronda’s spotlight and be seen for the supreme world athlete she is. She tells Shayna if she loses she’ll go back into the shadows. Lynch continues on but is cut off when Baszler grabs her from behind in the Kirifuda Clutch. She then bounces Lynch off the announcer’s table before heaving her into the side of it. Shayna grabs the Raw Women’s Championship and holds it over Lynch before throwing it down on her.
My Opinion:
In this rivalry, anything goes and in fairness, Shayna was just repaying Becky for what she did last week. Becky definitely should have known better than to have back turned. Shayna isn’t just out for a title but to seemingly end Becky Lynch. Becky has been in the brightest of spotlights and the toughest of battles but Shayna is different because for her it isn’t about winning or losing but instead destroying. As I’ve been saying I expect this one to be more of a fight than a wrestling match, either way, I can’t wait to see how this plays out!

Match 1: Aleister Black vs Local Competitor
Black starts off hot and is able to take his opponent down to the mat without much effort. He then sits and stares at kay. Black grabs his leg but is hit with an enziguri. Black gets back into it and hits the Black Mass out of nowhere. He covers and gets the 1 2 3.
Winner: Aleister Black
My Opinion:
Black put this match away quickly as he’s done a lot lately. The question is though will facing talent not up to the caliber of Bobby Lashley hurt Black? Of course, he is winning his matches but Lashley has a lot of experience and size on his side. This is going to be a true test for Black but if he comes out victorious it will be huge for him. This is his second WrestleMania and what a way to get his young WrestleMania career off and rolling than a victory over the “Almighty”!

Match 2: Kevin Owens & the Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) vs Seth Rollins & Angel Garza & Austin Theory w/ Zelina Vega: 6-Man Tag Team Match
*** Vega and Garza come out and Vega announces that Andrade has suffered a serious injury to his ribs and has been declared medically unable to compete. She says however she has access to the hottest young talent in WWE. She then introduces the 22-year-old phenom and the hottest free agent Austin Theory!
Rollins tags in Theory and allows him to start the match with Owens. Owens clocks him and gets him into his corner. He hits him in the gut and then hammers away on his face. Dawkins tags in and then tags Ford. They work a big double team which ends with knees to the chest from Ford. they then send Garza to the outside who tries to interfere. Ford flies over the top rope and takes out both Garza and Theory as Raw goes to break.
As Raw returns, Garza hits Ford with a chop in the corner. Ford tries to come back but is knocked to the mat by Garza. Garza then hits him with a big dropkick. Theory comes in and maintains control. He works a chin lock and keeps Ford grounded. Ford gets to his feet but Theory is too much and takes him down once again. Ford stays in the match but Theory is able to beat him down. Ford is able to sidestep theory and tag Dawkins. Dawkins his Garza and Rollins and then launches theory. Dawkins goes over the top rope after a bulldog. He takes down Garza on the floor and then takes down Theory in the ring. Rollins comes in and hits him with a superkick. Rollins stays in control and hits him with big right hands. Rollins then uses the ropes to wrench on the face of Dawkins. Rollins tags Theory and before leaving delivers a big right hand. Theory toys with Dawkins and is able to go to a chin lock. He works Dawkins into the corner and tags Garza. Garza lands a big kick to the hamstring and then keeps Dawkins grounded on the mat before locking in the Camel Clutch. Rollins gets the tag and kicks Dawkins into the back. He then continues to wrench on the face of Dawkins. He works a front face lock but Dawkins is able to fight to his feet. Rollins knocks him back down and then knocks down Ford. Dawkins tries to steal one but Rollins kicks out. Rollins then hits the sling blade. Rollins gets on Dawkins and pounds away with punches. Dawkins is able to come back after Rollins takes too much time and works a tag to Owens after dropping Rollins. Owens meets Garza after Rollins is able to get away, Owens hits a cannonball and then a senton. He covers but Theory breaks it up. Ford comes in and flies to take down Theory but he misses and crashes to the ramp. Back in the ring, Owens pins Garza for the 1 2 3. Rollins then comes in from behind and hits him with the Stomp.
Winners: Kevin Owens & the Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford)
My Opinion:
Owens looked really good in this one and pretty much dominated the whole time he was in the ring. Although Rollins didn’t do as much his eyes were focused on Owens and he picked his spot to attack him. Owens took his eye off of Rollins and cost him. Both men obviously want to get the win this weekend but it will be the one who stays focused that will get the win. If one of them comes in too hot it could be detrimental and ruin their chances from the start. For Dawkins and Ford, they looked good in this one but they definitely have shown they have some holes in their games. They aren’t the most dominant champions but they sure know how to work as a team and get a win. What happened to Ford crashing to the stage did not look good and hopefully, he will be okay. It was really cool to see Austin Theory on Raw. I think he can become a key player and he is still so young his future could be huge in the WWE!

In-Ring Segment: Kevin Owens
Owens tells Seth he kicked some sense into him and after what he said last week he has been thinking and he has a lot to say. He tells how Rollins said the Performance Center was built because of him and everyone who came here should thank him and that he put this one his back. Owens tells him this building was built in spite of him and tells how Rollins was a nightmare to deal with. He goes on to tell how Rollins knew better and now one could stand him. Owens says everyone was right when they said Rollins was an arrogant dipshit. He says he is well aware of his past and the paths he’s chosen but he is not like Rollins. He tells how Rollins said when it comes to WrestleMania he is a god and he himself is just a disappointment. He says those words stung and stayed with him but he realized how skewed Rollins’ view was. He then goes on to list his accomplishments and says he is man enough to admit he didn’t get them on his own because he had someone watching his back for each of them and so did Rollins. He tells Rollins he always had back up or he found an underhanded way to get what he wants. He says Rollins needs to realize his and tells that the only thing Rollins got right was that the past doesn’t matter and come Saturday the past won’t matter and the only thing that will matter is that it’s them one on one and he will show Rollins he is not a Profit or a Messiah when he beats him in the middle of this ring and takes his first WrestleMania moment from him because this Saturday he will be the one to Burn It Down!
My Opinion:
Owens had a lot of good points tonight and the main one being that the thing that will matter one Saturday is that they will be in the ring going one on one. As I said above they both need to focus, they know each other too well and if they’re not on the top of their games the other can for sure take advantage. It seems like Owens really needs this match to prove himself and prove to Rollins his worth but for Rollins, this is a chance to put away Owens and prove that all he said was true. Without a title on the line, there is a ton to fight for here and it will be one heck of a wrestling match!

Edge:
Edge tells how Randy said Adam Copeland is a junkie for Edge and he is probably right. He says it’s not about ego but he loves the feeling that happens in an arena when his music hits and the raw intensity he shares with the audience because he was one of them. He says they’re all junkies for this. He says he knew sitting in the 11th row for Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior. He tells if you’re not a junkie for this you’re just in his way. He tells Randy that being okay is okay for him because it’s a Hall Of Fame career. He says grit is forging your own Hall Of Fame career, thinking of how to get back here for 9 years and end this on your own terms. He says he was mistaken saying Randy was jealous of him because he isn’t, he is jealous of his passion because you can’t fabricate passion and the only time Randy has it is when he is around. He says the only time Randy scratched being this good was nine years ago. He says he inspires the passion inside Randy and that scares Randy. He tells that Randy listens to the voices in his head and they made him make a horrible mistake. He says Randy almost had him believing the Royal Rumble was enough for him until Randy put his hands on his wife and uttered the name of his little girls. He says Randy expected a Last Man Standing Match with a man who will dive threw flames just to grab that torch. He tells Randy that he dug another hole but this time he is not going to pull him, he is going to push him so far in he will never get back out.
My Opinion:
It seems like Edge is very locked in and this isn’t going to be good for Randy. Edge already knows what it’s like to have to walk away and if he has to do it again he’s taking Randy with him. This is a very personal match and one that won’t be for the faint of heart. I’m excited to see what they do because they create magic in the ring and the story that will be told for better or for worse will be a special one. As much as Randy wants to put down Edge, Edge wants to do the same to him and that gives this match so much intrigue and it’s going to be an intense battle!

Match 3: Asuka vs Kayden Carter
Carter lands a huge dropkick and then hammers away on Asuka. Asuka comes back with a rearview and taunts Carter. Asuka kicks her in the head and looks for another one but Carter grabs the leg. Carter comes from behind and tries a cover but Asuka kicks out. She tries another cover but Asuka again is able to kick out. Asuka works an ankle lock and then hits a suplex. She then hits Carter in the back of the neck before putting on the Asuka Lock and making Carter tap out.
Winner: Asuka
My Opinion:
This is a big momentum-building win for Asuka after losing to Bliss on SmackDown this past Friday. She showed how fast she can get it done in the ring and she will even be more dangerous because she’ll have Kairi Sane there with her. There is no doubt they work well as a team but so does Cross and Bliss. It should be a competitive match between the two teams but right now the experience of Sane and Asuka seems to have the edge.

Earlier Today: Rhea Ripley & Charlotte Flair
We see footage from earlier where Charlotte Flair kicks Rhea Ripley into one of the steel doors outside. Charlotte tells her hey rookie I’ll see you at WrestleMania. After collecting herself Rhea says yeah you will.

*** We then take a look back at Brock Lesnar vs Rey Mysterio in a No DQ Match for the WWE Championship at Survivor Series 2019!

In-Ring Segment: Brock Lesnar w/ Paul Heyman
Heyman introduces himself and Brock Lesnar. Heyman says he believes in the magic of WWE where we take larger than life personalities and we embellish and exaggerate and market them. He says this is the final segment of Monday Night Raw before the most unique WrestleMania in our lifetime because we are living in unique times together. He says we call this the Go-Home segment of the Go-home Show for WrestleMania and who stands here most, Brock Lesnar. He is the conqueror, the beast to slay. He says Drew McIntyre has stepped up and he is that special. He says compared to the guy on the street he is special. Compared to the guy in the gym who says he can do that stuff, no you can. Drew McIntyre can because he is special. He says even the locker room in the back which is one of the best it’s been. He goes over guys who Brock has beaten like Hulk Hogan, The Rock, John Cena, Randy Couture, Shane Carwin. He says when they got into the ring with a once in a lifetime athlete they ended up not so special but instead Brock Lesnar’s bitch. He says Drew McIntyre doesn’t need him to market how good the Clymore Kick is. He goes over the finishing move of those special guys and says it didn’t matter after the bell rang. He says that now that Brock Lesnar knows the Claymore Kick is coming Brock will figure out how to avoid it or figure out if the Claymore Kick can keep down Brock Lesnar. Heyman says he has more than just a prediction, next year in the Go-Home Edition of the Go-Home show before Mani Brock Lesnar will be standing here as Champion and we will be talking about how Drew McIntyre was the right guy at the right time but he got beaten fugly. This year Drew McIntyre walks in special and walks out like everyone else, nothing more than Brock’s Bitch.
My Opinion:
Some more chilling words from Paul Heyman. Usually, the story is always the same but the guy changes. If Drew McIntyre wants to change the narrative he knows he needs to go and win, it’s that simple. This is McIntyre’s one big chance to finally get the gold. You know he is going to give everything that he has and he will not quit or stay down. Brock Lesnar has a tough challenge for himself but this is what he does. I’m very excited and ready to see if McIntyre can step up to the challenge. He definitely deserves a run with the championship but will he be able to put down The Beast?!

Final Thoughts:
I loved the opening tonight with The Undertaker calling out AJ Styles. This is a personal rivalry and as I’ve said this is the most into a match we’ve seen The Undertaker in quite some time. I loved getting to hear him just talk and go in on AJ. Again I’m not exactly sure what a Boneyard Match will consist of but with this intense of a rivalry and the caliber of these two you know it’ll be a good one! The build-up with Becky and Shayna was fair but I would’ve liked to see these two brawl it out. Although they can save that for the weekend as it will be just that, a brawl! On the same note, I really love where the Owens and Rollins story is at. Owens and Rollins both seem ready to fight and they have a lot to gain. I don’t think either is going to go down easy and it should be a very smash mouth wrestling match. Plus, that was a good 6-Man tag Match we got. I thought it was well done except for Montez Ford falling to the floor, hopefully, he is okay after that! Edge was another person who had some chilling words for his WrestleMania opponent. He and Randy have a personal history and a rivalry that has turned into one for the ages in the past few months. Edge seems ready to give everything to beat Orton. I have no clue how one will keep the other down for a 10 count but you know it will not be an easy task. The ending was good as Paul Heyman always delivers. As I said this is the biggest match in Drew McIntyre’s career and now it is time to see if he steps up to the challenge. This is his time and he is more ready than ever so let’s get it on! Overall this was a very solid show to hype up this weekend. It is a very unique time in the world, it is going to be a unique WrestleMania but I hope everyone can still enjoy it. No, it won’t be like the ones before but this one has a chance to be special, it has a chance to be memorable for more reasons than just the presentation. Stay Safe and healthy and enjoy the rest of this wrestling week and this weekend!
Overall Rating: 7/10