Monday Night Raw analysis: Five things we learned on the road to WrestleMania
Monday Night Raw on March 23 turned up the gears again as we go further down the path to this year's showcase of immortals. Sports News Blitz writer Joe Jones talks us through the action.
Seth Rollins chaos
Former World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins attacked Paul Heyman in the ring with nobody defending the former wiseman.
However, as history has repeatedly shown, Heyman was already one step ahead - during the week between shows, he filed a restraining order against the Visionary - leading him to be cuffed and dragged out of the arena.
The segment highlighted his unhinged persona and positioned him as a wildcard heading into WrestleMania, where anything could happen involving him.
Judgement Day rumblings
Liv Morgan was attacked by her opposition at Mania - Stephanie Vaquer - before Dominik Mysterio’s Intercontinental Championship rematch vs Penta.
The match itself was a fast-paced and technically sharp bout.
Penta retained, but the contest was not without controversy. The defending champion got the win via a roll-up following the distraction of a returning Finn Balor, who took a fight to former apprentice JD McDonagh and ultimately cost Mysterio his rematch.
Following the match, Balor continued to take the fight to the remaining male members of the Judgement Day, where Mysterio sheepishly left the ring and subsequently left McDonagh all alone in the ring with the prince.
AJ Lee & Becky Lynch head to Mania
The rivalry between Becky Lynch and AJ Lee intensified with a fiery segment that added real emotional weight to the women’s division.
Their exchange blurred the line between past and present, referencing legacy and dominance in WWE.
The current Intercontinental champ got under the former's skin by claiming she was actually Becky’s daughter’s favourite wrestler.
Lynch retorted with “WrestleMania is my domain - that’s my domain.”
She also reminded AJ of her last WrestleMania match, where the very next day she handed in her resignation and left the company.
Boston erupted into a loud cheer upon hearing the match being proposed for this year’s WrestleMania, which was later confirmed by Raw general manager Adam Pearce.
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Oba Femi continues warpath against Lesnar
Oba Femi continued his shocking conquest by once again overpowering Brock Lesnar in a moment that felt almost unreal.
Femi matched Lesnar’s trademark intensity with raw strength and composure, refusing to be intimidated by ‘The Beast’ and clotheslined him over the top rope, sending him crashing to the floor.
In all the years of Lesnar competing in WWE, he has never been bested as much by one opponent in such a short amount of time.
The buildup to this match has already given it a big moment feel. And following Oba’s already impressive display, he may already be on his merry way to besting the beast and moving up the ladder for a title opportunity.
Main Event: Brutality between Reigns and Punk
The confrontation between Roman Reigns and CM Punk delivered one of the most gripping moments of the night, blending tension, storytelling, and star power.
The once self-proclaimed voice of the voiceless opened with a passionate promo, citing that Roman calling him old last week had no bearing on him and that it was, in fact, true.
He was annoyed with the disrespect behind it, saying, “Last week this old man dropped you with one punch.”
Reigns’ cousins, the Usos, confronted Punk in the ring again. However, Punk planted the microphone on Jey Uso, causing Roman to begin a scathing attack and assault of the World Heavyweight champion.
A superman punch, spear and a Powerbomb through the commentary table ended the show in Boston with Reigns standing tall and sending a clear message, perfectly capturing the intense rivalry and cementing the headline attraction of this year’s WrestleMania.
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