The March 26th, 2018 edition of WWE RAW aired live from the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH. This is the latest stop on the road to WrestleMania 34, which takes place on April 8th.
– WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar comes down to the ring to kick off tonight’s RAW. His advocate Paul Heyman is walking behind him. They step into the ring and Heyman gets on the mic. Heyman introduces his client Lesnar, and shows footage from last week of Roman Reigns assaulting U.S. Marshalls, and then being beat up by Lesnar. Heyman says Reigns was suspended last week, but that suspension has now been lifted. Heyman says if you think Reigns is about to interrupt and fight Lesnar, you’re wrong, because Roman Reigns is not here tonight. Heyman talks about Reigns’ family history in wrestling. He says even if Reigns ripped off Lesnar’s legs, Lesnar would come back on his knuckles with the bloody leg stumps behind him and will still beat up Reigns. Heyman says Reigns isn’t man enough to show up tonight and take another beating from Lesnar. He says Reigns isn’t man enough to take the Universal Title from him at WrestleMania either. Before Heyman can finish hyping up Lesnar, Roman Reigns appears in the crowd. Reigns limps through the crowd towards the ring, and he grabs a steel chair. Lesnar runs out to ringside to fight Reigns. Lesnar drops Reigns with a clothesline, but then Reigns shoves Lesnar into the ring post. Reigns grabs the chair and repeatedly hits Lesnar with it on the ringside floor. Reigns looks for a Superman punch off the ring steps, but Lesnar catches him and hits an overhead suplex on the floor. Lesnar picks up the ring steps and smashes them into Roman’s face. Lesnar takes Reigns into the ring where he continues the beat-down. Lesnar goes to leave, but decides he’s not finished and hits the ring to punish Reigns some more. The Universal Champion hits an F-5 on Reigns on top of the ring steps. Lesnar finally decides to leave, and he heads to the back with Heyman.
– Back from commercial break, Roman Reigns is limping up the ramp to the backstage area. Michael Cole introduces some replays of Lesnar’s beat-down on Reigns.
– Nia Jax vs. Mickie James: Alexa Bliss is at ringside for a closer look. We see a replay of Alexa talking trash about Nia on hidden camera. It’s all Nia in the opening moments as she beats down Mickie from post to post. Mickie comes back with a shot that sends Nia to the outside. Nia gets back in the ring but Mickie is able to keep up her momentum. Mickie goes up to the top rope, but Nia recovers quickly and charges the corner. Nia picks Mickie up off the corner in a gorilla press, then hits a Samoan drop for the three count after a short match.
Winner: Nia Jax
– After the match, Alexa attacks Nia from behind, but Nia no-sells it. Alexa gets scared and runs away up the ramp. Nia yells at her from the ring that she’s a little bitch, then gives chase up the ramp.
– We see a new video package looking at Triple H & Stephanie McMahon vs. Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle. The package focuses on new interviews with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, and footage of them training at the WWE Performance Center. Their personal trainer is also interviewed, and he says they train year-round to stay ready.
– Cedric Alexander and Mustafa Ali vs. TJP and Drew Gulak: Drake Maverick is on commentary. Gulak takes control of the match early on and beats down Ali. Cedric gets the hot tag and TJP tags in too. Cedric cleans house and hits a flying kick to TJP, then an elbow to the face. Cedric hits a boot to the face of TJP, then a flying clothesline off the top. Gulak breaks up the pin, but TJP throws him out and hits a suicide dive (which he overshoots.) Back in the ring, Cedric hits the Lumbar Check on TJP, but Ali blindly tags himself in and hits the 054 off the top on TJP for the three count.
Winners: Cedric Alexander vs. Mustafa Ali
– After the match, Cedric and Mustafa briefly exchange words over Ali’s unexpected blind tag.
– The Miz is in the ring with Dallas and Axel for Miz TV. The Miz says he has some personal issues to address before he introduces his guest. He then asks Dallas and Axel how they are liking the Miztourage gig. The Miz says Dallas and Axel are happy, but he’s not. He says they failed him, and if he wanted failure he would have stayed living in Cleveland. He says he needs to count on his Miztourage. Axel and Dallas plead that they’re doing the best they can. Miz yells at them and berates them, saying they’d be nothing without him. Seth Rollins comes out to interrupt. Rollins steps in the ring and says he loves seeing the Miztourage arguing, so he’ll just let them finish. Miz tells Rollins he interrupted their issue, and Rollins says he can help and mediate their argument. Rollins says Axel and Dallas seem to feel underappreciated. Rollins says Miz should be thanking Axel and Dallas more, because without them he wouldn’t be the IC Champ. Miz tells the fans to shut up as they chant “Miztourage.” Miz says he’s the one who elevated their careers, not the other way around. Dallas pipes up and says Miz is a phony A-lister that can’t fight. Rollins asks Bo to repeat that, and The Miz gets in Bo’s face. Finn Balor is out to interrupt next. Balor gets Dallas to repeat what he said, and Miz isn’t happy. Miz gets in Bo’s face then slaps him. Axel holds Dallas back. Miz says he’s trying to motivate them and fire them up for WrestleMania. Miz says he’s going to be the greatest IC Champ of all time, better than Macho MAn, Shawn Michaels, or Mr. Perfect, which strikes a nerve with Curtis Axel. Axel doesn’t look happy and Miz takes it back and says he didn’t mean it. Miz says sorry to the fans, Miz TV is now cancelled, as he tries to diffuse the situation with Axel and Dallas. Miz says let’s get out of here, but Dallas and Axel block his way. Miz pleads with Axel and Dallas not to attack him, and he backs up into Rollins and Balor. Dallas and Axel then attack Rollins and Balor. They drop Balor and Rollins and start pummeling on them. Miz says this was his plan all aong, then he looks for the Skull Crushing Finale on Balor. Anderson and Gallows come out for the save, and they brawl with Axel and Dallas up the ramp. The Miz is now left alone with Balor. Balor hits the Sling blade. Rollins gets in the ring and goes for the stomp, but Miz rolls to the outside. Rollins yells at Miz from the ring “you think you’re smarter than The Architect pal?” Rollins and Balor come face to face over the IC Title belt in the ring. Miz comes in for a sneak attack, but Balor drops him. Rollins and Balor go at it now and Balor drops Rollins. Balor holds up the IC Title belt, then leaves.
– Asuka is in the back walking towards the gorilla position.
– We see a pre-taped promo by Kane in the back, who says Cena shouldn’t call out demons who don’t want to be disturbed. Kane says he called out a demon who wants to rest in peace. Kane says Cena will pay for his indiscretion, and he won’t be going to WrestleMania, he’ll be going straight to Hell.
– Asuka vs. Jamie Frost: Jamie does an interview at ringside before the match, and this is supposedly her first match. Jamie starts off with elbows and a slap to the face, and Asuka answers with a kick to the face. Asuka pins for the three count for a very short squash match.
Winner: Asuka
– Michael Cole and Corey Graves discuss Matt Hardy’s Ultimate Deletion of Bray Wyatt. They point out a Tweet from Hardy calling Cole an obsolete mule. We see a pre-taped promo from Matt Hardy where he says the great war with him and Bray Wyatt is over, and now Hardy has his sights set on winning the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania.
– Bayley is backstage in the locker room when Sasha Banks walks in. Bayley says she’s entering the women’s battle royal at WrestleMania, and there’s nothing else to talk about – Sasha knows what she did. They start arguing, which leads to fighting. Sasha throws Bayley into the lockers, then onto a table. Bayley fights back and they fight until referees and trainers pull them apart.
– Braun Strowman comes down to the ring next. The Bar comes out next, and they start cutting a promo on Strowman. They demand to know who Strowman’s tag team partner for WrestleMania is. Strowman says if they want to know, Sheamus has to come fight him in the ring right now. Sheamus and Cesaro complain that doesn’t make sense, but Strowman isn’t open to negotiating. Strowman says they might get an answer, but they’ll definitely get these hands.
– Sheamus vs. Braun Strowman: Cesaro distracts Strowman early on, which leads to Sheamus getting a shot on Braun. Sheamus knocks Braun ouside, but Braun comes back on the apron and hits a strike on Sheamus so hard that Sheamus falls out to the floor. Strowman now continues to beat on Sheamus all over the ring and ringside area. Sheamus gets Strowman caught up in the ing ropes and starts picking him apart. He puts Strowman in an arm lock and starts throwing knees to the body. Strowman fights up and hits some clotheslines on Sheamus. Sheamus rolls outside and Braun follows with a big running shoulder tackle. Back in the ring, Braun misses a spear in the corner and hits the ring post. sheamus follows up with a flying clothesline off the top for a one count. Braun fights his way up, then knocks Cesaro off the apron. Sheamus misses a big boot, and Braun finishes things up with the running powerslam for the three count.
Winner: Braun Strowman
– RAW GM Kurt Angle comes out to the ring and talks about his upcoming mixed tag match at WrestleMania 34. He then introduces his WrestleMania partner Ronda Rousey. He says he knows Ronda is ready for the big stage at WrestleMania, and to prepare because Triple H and Stephanie are going to do anything they can to stop you. Ronda says she doesn’t think Stephanie is as tough as she acts, and she’s going to rip her arm out of her socket. Absolution comes out to interrupt. Paige gets on the mic and introduces herself, and steps in the ring. She says Ronda is making the wrong decision by going after Stephanie. Ronda says she’s not worried about anything, and she has an Olympic gold medalist watching her back. Paige tries to recruit Ronda to be the 4th member of Absolution, but Ronda declines. Paige says she just made enemies, and now Mandy and Sonya get in the ring. Kurt stops Mandy from attacking Ronda, but then Sonya attacks her from behind. Ronda drops Sonya, then drops Mandy. She goes to put Mandy in an arm bar, but Angle asks her not so Ronda lets her go. Ronda and Angle raise their arms in the ring as Absolution retreats backstage.
– Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel: Anderson starts off in control against Axel. Anderson hits a flying kick, then goes up top, but Dallas distracts him. The fight spills out to ringside where Dallas hits a hard shot on Anderson against the fan barricade. Axel comes in now and continues working over Anderson and keeping him grounded. Anderson breaks free and gets the hot tag to Gallows. Gallows hits a kick to the head and a powerslam. He follows up with a running splash, then tags in Anderson. They hit the Boot of Doom on Axel, but Dallas breaks up the pin attempt. Gallows pulls Dallas outside and boots him in the face. Back in the ring, Axel looks for the Perfect-plex, but Anderson breaks free. Anderson climbs up top and hits a flying neckbreaker. Gallows tags in and they hit the Magic Killer for the three count.
Winners: Gallows & Anderson
– Elias is backstage with his guitar, getting ready to come down to the ring.
– We see a promo video for the Mixed Match Tag Challenge.
– Elias gets in the ring with his guitar, and asks the crowd who’s walking with Elias. He sings a song trashing Cleveland sports teams, and about WrestleMania. Rhyno comes out to interrupt, and we have a match.
– Rhyno vs. Elias: Heath Slater is at ringside. Elias and Rhyno trade strikes in the opening moments. Rhyno drops Elias with a shoulder tackle, but Elias fights back with an elbow to the face. Elias stomps on Rhyno while he’s down. Rhyno fights his way up and hits some chops and some clotheslines. Elias fights back with a knee to the face and a clothesline of his own. Elias hits the Drift Away for the three count.
Winner: Elias
– After the match, Slater checks on Rhyno. Elisas attacks Slater and hits the Drift Away on him too before leaving.
– We see a replay of John Cena calling out The Undertaker, and then Kane attacking him. John Cena vs. Kane in a No DQ match is up next.
– Kane vs. John Cena: This one is a No DQ match. Cena and Kane start off throwing right hands right off the opening bell. Kane takes control with a big boot to the face, and now it’s all Kane on the offensive. Kane takes Cena out to ringside where Cena tries fighting back, but Kane whips him into the ring steps. Cena comes back with a shot on Kane to the ring steps. They then fight throug hthe crowd and right through the fan barricade. They brawl back to the ring where Kane keeps Cena grounded. Kane goes to unxover the corner turnbuckle pad, but Cena sits right up like the Undertaker and pulls Kane around. Cena drops Kane and hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Cena mocks the Undertaer and then hits a Chokeslam for a two count. Cena takes a table from ringside and puts it in the ring. As Cena sets up the table, Kane sits right up. Cena goes for an AA through the table, but Kane flips over the table with his fingers and escapes. Kane drops Cena, then sets up the table in the corner. Cena starts fighting back, but Kane throws Cena through the table. Kane sets up another table and looks for the chokeslam, but Cena escapes. Cena hits an AA on Kane through the table for the three count.
Winner: John Cena
– After the match, Cena gets on the mic and says hes’s disappointed not to hear anything from the Undertaker. No bells or lights cutting out. Cena screams Undertaker’s name and says he’s a coward. Cena says every week the sold-out crowds chant his name, and silence isn’t an option, they need a yes or no. Cena tells Taker to listen to the crowds chanting for him. Cena says Undertaker only cares about himself, and he hopes he sees Undertaker next week. Cena starts walking to the back. On the ramp, he looks into the camera and rolls his eyes back and does the throat slicing motion, as RAW goes off the air.
