Monday Night Raw Live Coverage And Results – March 18, 2019

Monday Night Raw
Date: March 18, 2019
Location: Allstate Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Michael Cole, Renee Young, Corey Graves

We’ve got four shows left between now and Wrestlemania and that means it’s time to really crank things up. This time around it means that Brock Lesnar is actually here for a change and is likely going to get in Seth Rollins’ face. We also get to find out who will face Kurt Angle in his retirement match. Let’s get to it.

Here are Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar to open things up. The fans boo a lot so Lesnar holds up the title, drawing a BURN IT DOWN chant. Heyman takes a shot at the fans and then moves to Seth Rollins, who necessitated an appearance from Lesnar tonight. Rollins acts like he’s a Suplex City arsonist (good line) who suggests that Lesnar has a problem with the smaller guys. Heyman points out the problem with that theory: Lesnar won all the matches.

Now Rollins is out here talking about Lesnar on the same night he has to fight a career killer like Drew McIntyre. Heyman: “WHAT ARE YOU THINKING SETH ROLLINS???” This brings out McIntyre for the showdown I’ve wanted to see for a long time. Last week he took out Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns and after tonight, Lesnar is going to need a new challenger. Cue Rollins with a chair to knock McIntyre silly before chasing Lesnar out of the ring.

We look back at Bobby Lashley regaining the Intercontinental Title last week.

Here’s Finn Balor for a chat before a tag match. Last week the luck of the Irish wasn’t with him but he’ll get the title back. This brings out Lashley and Rush with Lashley showing off his new favorite pose: holding up the title, because Chicago doesn’t get many championships. Balor says enjoy the pose, because he’s getting the title back soon. He has a partner tonight though.

Bobby Lashley/Lio Rush vs. Finn Balor/Braun Strowman

Strowman and Lashley take turns shoving each other around before Lashley bounces off of him to send us to a break. Back with Balor kicking Rush into the corner, allowing Lashley to run in and break up a hot tag attempt. The Downward Spiral gets two and Lashley punches him in the head to stop the tag again.

The missed charge sends Lashley into the corner and Balor dives over for the tag. Rush gets thrown off some hiptosses but Lashley breaks up a powerslam with a spear. A frog splash gives Rush two with the kickout sending Rush into the corner. He heads outside but is suddenly surrounded but Strowman runs Lashley over instead. There’s a chokeslam to Rush as Lashley leaves, followed by the running powerslam for the pin at 7:26.

Result: Braun Strowman/Finn Balor b. Bobby Lashley/Lio Rush – Running powerslam to Rush (7:26)

We look back at Ronda Rousey wrecking Dana Brooke last week, including slapping a referee.

Rousey, with husband Travis Browne, arrives and gets yelled at by a referee for being late. The referee now has his own security.

It’s time for A Moment Of Bliss, with Alexa Bliss throwing it to the announcers for a rundown of the big matches. Bliss talks about how the show deserves a big host, just like her. Now it’s time for her guest, so ladies and gentlemen, Elias. Bliss announces that Elias has an announcement: he’ll be the headlining musical act for Wrestlemania. Last year’s interruption serves as motivation for this year because he hates being embarrassed.

This is going to be better than Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison or Queen at Live Aid. Cue No Way Jose’s conga line (minus Jose), with Heavy Machinery included. Bliss apparently invited them but they’re here way too early. As she yells, one of the people in the line jumps Elias and reveals himself as Jose.

Elias vs. No Way Jose

Jose, with the green braids, runs Elias over to start and armdrags him into an armbar. A running clothesline in the corner sets up a missed high crossbody and Elias unloads in the corner. Elias drops a knee to set up a top rope elbow, followed by Drift Away for the pin at 3:54.

Result: Elias b. No Way Jose – Drift Away (3:54)

Here’s Kurt Angle to announce his opponent for his final match. There are a lot of people he wants to face but only one he wants to beat. That would be Baron Corbin, which the fans don’t seem to like. As for tonight though, Angle gets to have one final match in Chicago.

Kurt Angle vs. Chad Gable

Gable says the pleasure is all his and that this is an honor for him because Angle is a hero to him. A running shoulder takes Angle down to start so he wrestles Gable to the mat. Chad walks into an overhead belly to belly to send him outside for a breather. Back in and they hit the mat with Gable starting in on the arm.

Angle whips him into the corner and grabs a front facelock but Gable kicks him to the floor. Some shots to the knee have Angle in trouble and we take a break. We come back with Gable skinning the cat but walking into some clotheslines. The ankle lock is reversed so Angle grabs a German suplex, which is reversed into an ankle lock from Gable. That’s broken up but Gable misses the moonsault, allowing the ankle lock with the grapevine to make Gable tap at 12:16.

Result: Kurt Angle b. Chad Gable – Ankle lock (12:16)

Post match Corbin comes out to say how much he’s looking forward to humiliating Angle.

Post break Corbin talks to the Revival when Apollo Crews comes up. He doesn’t like what Corbin did out there and a match is made for later tonight. Corbin says the Revival likes him. Revival: “H*** no!”

Here’s the Boss N Hug Connection for a chat. Sasha Banks isn’t happy with the IIconics saying they’re ducking them but Bayley says they’ll be on Smackdown tomorrow. This brings out Natalya and Beth Phoenix with Beth talking about wanting to contend for the titles….when she was active. She was happy as a commentator but then she saw Nia Jax and Tamina’s pettiness. They awoke the dragon and now she’s thinking that the one missing thing could become a reality.

Beth is ready to step out of retirement and challenge for the titles along with Natalya. Bayley thinks Beth needs to train a bit more but Natalya points out that Bayley is talking to a Hall of Famer. The fight is on and we have a referee.

Natalya vs. Sasha Banks

At least it’s not the non-title match. Natalya slams her down for her running basement dropkick and knocks Sasha outside….and here’s Nia to talk about how Beth is jealous of her. She’s more successful and the prettier version of the Glamazon. Tamina superkicks Beth and Bayley as the bell rings at 2:35. Nia says she’ll see them at Wrestlemania.

Result: Natalya vs. Sasha Banks went to a no contest (2:35)

Mojo Rawley is looking in the mirror again (after about a two month break) and talks about how much he hates potential. Mojo: “FIGURE IT OUT!”

Ricochet vs. Jinder Mahal

Ricochet starts fast and hits the springboard missile dropkick, followed by the moonsault into the superhero pose. Back in and the Singh Brothers breaks up another springboard, allowing Mahal to get two off a slam. We hit the chinlock with Jinder adding in some shots to the ribs. Ricochet fights up and rolls into a dropkick, followed by a springboard….kind of a crossbody (more like a rib attack) to send Mahal outside. The Space Flying Tiger (as called by Graves) takes out everyone and the 630 finishes Mahal at 6:45.

Result: Ricochet b. Jinder Mahal – 630 (6:45)

Warrior Award announcement for Sue Aichison, who has worked for the company for 33 years.

Seth Rollins is ready to burn Suplex City down.

Dana Brooke says this is the Road to Wrestlemania and she’s ready to shake things up.

Raw Women’s Title: Ronda Rousey vs. Dana Brooke

Ronda is defending and knees her in the face and ribs, setting up the armbar to retain the title at 19 seconds.

Result: Ronda Rousey b. Dana Brooke – Armbar (0:19)

Rousey won’t let go of the arm until some referees come out. Ronda beats them up too and goes over to her husband, who hits a guard for trying to hold her back. Browne pulls Ronda over the barricade.

Baron Corbin vs. Apollo Crews

Corbin charges at Corbin to start and slides underneath the ropes, where Crews nails a moonsault. Back in and Corbin nails a shot to the face, followed by an elbow into a chinlock. That’s broken up in long order so Corbin grabs Deep Six for two. The fans get on Corbin as Cole and company talk about fans not being happy with Corbin being Angle’s opponent. Crews loads up the End of Days but gets reversed into a small package for the pin at 4:45.

Result: Apollo Crews b. Baron Corbin – Small package (4:45)

We recap last week’s argument between HHH and Batista.

Batista joins us via satellite and says he doesn’t like HHH. He’s wanted one more match with HHH but can’t get his attention. Batista has heard about how he owes his career to HHH but all HHH ever did was groom him to be the muscle. There’s more to him than just being a meathead and it was HHH who caused him to quit nine years ago. There were goals that Batista wanted to accomplish but HHH was cutting him off. Now look at what Batista has accomplished since leaving WWE.

Cole defends HHH but Batista doesn’t buy it. HHH is a cerebral assassin and now he’s gotten in Cole’s head too. The real HHH is a manipulative control freak so hopefully Vince McMahon fires him one day and ends his corporate career. Then at Wrestlemania, Batista can end his in-ring career. Interview over.

We look back at Braun Strowman breaking a car from the SNL guys last week.

Strowman wants an apology from the two of them and he’s so mad that he’s entering the Andre the Giant Memorial battle Royal so as many people as possible can get these hands. Then he’ll deal with the SNL guys. Bliss comes up and says that can’t happen but she’ll deal with it.

Charlotte talks about Serena Williams for Women’s History Month.

Here’s Drew McIntyre for a chat before his match. We see a clip of McIntyre laying out Roman Reigns last week. Drew talks about how everyone around here believes in fairy tales, which is why he took Reigns out last week. McIntyre wants to speak to Joe, the man behind Reigns. Joe was sitting on his couch because of Drew, so let’s do it at Wrestlemania.

Reigns needs to say no but he knows what is going to be said. All bets are off at Wrestlemania and what he did to Dean and Reigns last week will be nothing. Rollins comes up on screen and says that’s why he did what he did to Drew earlier tonight. We see a replay of the beatdown, which was for his brothers. This is for Seth.

Drew McIntyre vs. Seth Rollins

The fight is on in the aisle with referees and security out to break it up. Joined in progress with Drew pulling him down into an armbar with the pressure on the face. A hard shot to the face keeps Rollins in trouble and they head outside, where Seth misses a moonsault off the steps to send us to a break. Back with Drew stomping on Seth’s back as it’s all McIntyre so far.

Seth gets knocked outside for a belly to belly onto the barricade…and it’s time for a chair. That takes too long though and Rollins scores with a kick to the face. Back to back suicide dive set up a Sling Blade for two but the reverse Alabama slam knocks him silly again. McIntyre takes him up top gets punched in the face, only to have Rollins slip out for the superplex into the Falcon Arrow for two. The fans are WAY into this as Heyman and Lesnar come out for a distraction, allowing McIntyre to hit the Claymore for the pin at 14:13.

Result: Drew McIntyre b. Seth Rollins – Claymore (14:13)

Lesnar and Heyman laugh to end the show.

 

Results
Braun Strowman/Finn Balor b. Bobby Lashley/Lio Rush – Running powerslam to Rush
Elias b. No Way Jose – Drift Away
Kurt Angle b. Chad Gable – Ankle lock
Natalya vs. Sasha Banks went to a no contest
Ricochet b. Jinder Mahal – 630
Ronda Rousey b. Dana Brooke – Armbar
Apollo Crews b. Baron Corbin – Small package
Drew McIntyre b. Seth Rollins – Claymore

Thomas Hall has been a wrestling fan for over thirty years and has seen over 50,000 wrestling matches. He has also been a wrestling reviewer since 2009 with over 5,000 full shows covered. You can find his work at kbwrestlingreviews.com, or check out his Amazon author page with 28 wrestling books. His latest book is the the Complete 2000 Monday Nitro and Thunder Reviews Part 1.

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