WWE RAW Live Coverage - February 28th, 2022
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Edge addresses his WrestleMania future
The Rated-R Superstar returned to the Red Brand this past Monday to remind the WWE Universe about his epic history on The Grandest Stage of Them All and that the most stupendous two-night WrestleMania in history cannot be named as such without the WWE Hall of Famer on its match card. The 11-time WWE Champion sat in the middle of the ring and threw down the gauntlet to the entire locker room, looking for someone to step up and prove themselves.
Will someone rise to the occasion and accept Edge’s challenge at The Showcase of the Immortals?
:raw:
– Tonight’s WWE RAW opens live on the USA Network as the pyro goes off inside the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Jimmy Smith welcomes us. He’s joined at ringside by Corey Graves and Byron Saxton.
– We go right to the ring and out comes Kevin Owens for another must see episode of The KO Show. Owens puts on an old cowboy hat to begin mocking Texas. Owens stops at the entrance-way and introduces his tag team partner, who he says will be his partner when they win the RAW Tag Team Titles next week, and then go on to defend at WrestleMania 38, but more important, this is his best friend… Seth Rollins. The music hits and out comes Rollins to join Owens. They head to the ring together.
Owens says they have a big night in store but first they rant about how they, as two of the biggest names in WWE, have been screwed on the Road to WrestleMania. Rollins says the WrestleMania Gods have given them one more chance and now they will win the RAW Tag Team Titles and take them into WrestleMania. They go on hyping WrestleMania and Owens takes some shots at Texas. Rollins introduces their guests – RAW Tag Team Champions Alpha Academy. The music hits and out comes Otis and Chad Gable.
The two teams take their seats and things are going OK until Rollins and Owens mention how they will win the titles next week. Gable gets some local heat and this leads to tension between the teams. Gable and Owens “shoosh!” each other and face off until Owens drops him with a Stunner in the middle of the ring. We go to commercial.
RAW Tag Team Champions Alpha Academy vs. Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens
Back from the break and this non-title match is underway – RAW Tag Team Champions Otis and Chad Gable vs. Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens. Otis takes Owens to the corner and works him over. Owens fights out of the corner and they trade big strikes now. Otis levels Owens with a back elbow and then poses to the crowd for some boos.
Otis scoops Owens and slams him in the middle of the ring. Owns turns it around and hits a few sentons to keep Otis down. Rollins tags in and unloads with punches and strikes to send Otis in the corner. Otis dumps Rollins to the apron but Rollins jabs him. The referee is distracted while Gable interferes with Rollins from the floor. Otis takes advantage and knocks Rollins to the floor. Otis follows and beats Rollins around, driving him into the edge of the apron. Otis brings Rollins back in and stops a tag, then sends Rollins into the turnbuckles.
Gable tags in and Otis drops Rollins. Gable covers for 2. Gable goes to work on Rollins’ arm now. Gable with a snap suplex for 2. Otis comes right back in as fans chant for Rollins to make a comeback. Rollins fights up but Otis splashes him into the corner. Otis goes to the second rope but wastes some time and misses the Vader Bomb as Rollins moves.
Owens tags in, knocks Gable off the apron, then hits a big corner cannonball to Otis. Owens tosses Gable back to the floor and leaps off the apron, taking both champs down with one cannonball. Owens returns to the ring for a pop, then hits a big Frogsplash from the apron to Gable on the floor. Owens gets back up but Otis runs over him at ringside. We go back to commercial with Otis standing over Rollins.
Back from the break and Gable is going to work on Owens’ leg. Gable with a big German suplex. Owens finally nails an enziguri but they both go down. Rollins tags in and unloads on Gable. Rollins with a Slingblade. Rollins knocks Otis off the apron with a big elbow. Rollins sends Gable into the turnbuckle and then hits the top rope flying knee, then a Falcon Arrow. Gable kicks out just in time. Rollins stalls some but misses the rolling elbow. Owens saves Rollins with a superkick, then a neckbreaker over the knee for a close 2 count as Otis makes the save.
Otis sends Rollins flying across the ring to the floor. Otis blocks a Stunner from Owens, then nails a big splash in the corner. Otis goes to the second rope for the Vader Bomb and he hits it on Owens. Gable immediately follows up with a moonsault for the pin but Rollins slides in to break it up just in time. Otis gets sent into a ring post and he’s on the floor now as Rollins hits a suicide dive.
Owens and Gable go back & forth now. Gable with a big suplex. Gable drags Owens to the corner and climbs up for another moonsault but Owens moves and he lands on his feet. Rollins tags in and hits a Buckle Bomb on Gable. Owens immediately follows up with a Stunner, and Rollins follows up with the Stomp for the pin to win.
Winners: Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens
– After the match, Rollins and Owens stand tall as the music hits. We go to replays. The announcers hype Rollins and Owens vs. RK-Bro vs. Alpha Academy for the titles on next week’s show.
– We get a video package looking at how Omos has dominated. Omos is backstage now when Kevin Patrick approaches him, asking about tonight’s match with… Omos interrupts and yells that’s enough. He talks about everyone he’s dominated since WrestleMania last year and says tonight he goes up against the largest man he’s faced in the ring, T-BAR, and he will dominate him as well. Omos walks off.
Omos vs. T-BAR
We go back to the ring and out first comes Omos. He marches to the ring and steps over the top rope, then yells out and poses as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and out comes T-BAR as the announcers plug WWE 2K22. Omos stares T-BAR down from the ring. T-BAR gets on the apron to enter but Omos runs and knocks him of with a shoulder. T-BAR lands on the floor on his back and Omos follows. Omos brings T-BAR in the ring and drags his lifeless body to the middle of the ring. Omos goes for an easy pin but he tosses T-BAR into the corner now.
The referee backs Omos off and checks on T-BAR. The bell rings and here we go. Omos charges for a corner splash but T-BAR moves. Omos comes back with a big clothesline to level T-BAR. Omos lifts T-BAR in the middle of the ring and tosses him with the Choke Bomb. Omos covers for the pin to win.
Winner: Omos
– After the match, Omos stands tall as we go to replays. Omos stands over T-BAR and raises his fist.
– We see what happened last week with RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch. Nikki A.S.H. and Doudrop are backstage now. Nikki says she is the only super hero RAW needs and Doudrop says she can be the super hero because she’s just fine tonight with being in the ring for the six-woman match. Lynch comments on she and Doudrop putting aside their differences. She taunts Bianca Belair and they head out.
RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch, Doudrop and Nikki A.S.H. vs. Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley
We go back to the ring and out first comes RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch. Doudrop and Nikki A.S.H. are right behind her. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and Rhea Ripley is in the back talking strategy with Liv Morgan. Bianca Belair walks in and asks to have Becky if she tags in. Belair says she has a long overdue KOD for the champ. Belair wants to give Lynch a preview of when she beats her at WrestleMania 38. They all head to the ring together as the heels look on from the ring. The announcers hype Belair vs. Lynch at WrestleMania 38. The bell hits and Lynch starts off with Belair but Lynch changes her mind, ducks Belair and tags in Nikki to boos from the crowd.
Nikki wants Liv to start, so she tags back in. They lock up and Liv nails a hurricanrana to send Nikki into the corner. Doudrop tags in and over-powers Liv to the mat. Liv ducks a shot and kicks Doudrop in the head. Belair tags in and Doudrop is stunned from Liv’s kick. Belair struggles with Doudrop so she tags in Ripley for a big double suplex for a pop. Doudrop ends up on the floor. Belair kips up for another pop. Nikki and Becky run in but the heels also send them to the floor. Liv flies from the top, with an assist by Ripley, and takes down all three heels at ringside. Liv screams out and re-joins her two partners in the ring as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Belair is going at it with Lynch, trading offense and pin attempts. Lynch with a big kick to the chin in the corner. Lynch uses Belair’s braid to drive her into the ring post. Lynch drops Belair on the apron with another kick. Lynch wraps Belair’s hair around the top rope and works her over to more boos from the crowd. The referee unwraps Belair’s hair from the top rope now.
Lynch kicks Belair and nails the second rope flying leg drop while she’s draped over the middle rope. Belair kicks out at 2. Lynch stomps away in the corner as Doudrop takes over. Doudrop takes Belair from corner to corner, then slams her in the middle of the ring. Doudrop drops an elbow to Belair now. Nikki tags in and hits a running neck snap to Belair while Doudrop holds her. Nikki mounts Belair and unloads with strikes. Lynch tags back in and works Belair over, standing on her hair to trap her. Lynch with more offense until Belair leaps and tags in Ripley. Ripley unloads on Lynch and slams her face-first into the mat. Ripley keeps fighting and delivers knee strikes to Lynch’s face.
Ripley with a low dropkick to Lynch. Ripley slams Lynch face-first into the mat again but Doudrop breaks it up with a big splash. Liv takes Doudrop out. Nikki takes Liv out and sends her to the floor. Nikki drags Becky to the corner and tags herself in. Doudrop and Belair tangle now. Belair hits the KOD in the middle of the ring. Belair goes to follow-up with the handspring moonsault but Belair interferes from ringside. Liv takes out Becky at ringside. Doudrop levels Liv. Ripley dropkicks Doudrop.
Ripley turns around to a missile dropkick from Nikki. Belair with a KOD to Nikki for a close 2 count as Becky makes the save. Becky pulls at Belair’s hair but Belair ends up whipping her over and over with it, leaving marks on her stomach. Becky retreats to the floor, screaming about her stomach. Nikki rolls a distracted Belair up from behind for a close 2 count. Belair comes back and ends up hitting the KOD on Nikki for the pin to win.
Winners: Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley
– After the match, Belair and her partners stand tall as we go to replays. Lynch is still screaming and holding her stomach from the hair strikes. The winners celebrate as Lynch holds her title in the air on the stage.
– We see how Robert Roode helped Dolph Ziggler defeat Tommaso Ciampa on last week’s WWE NXT to become the new #1 contender to NXT Champion Bron Breakker.
Robert Roode vs. Tommaso Ciampa
We go back to the ring and out first comes The Dirty Dawgs – Robert Roode with Dolph Ziggler. They head to the ring as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Roode watches in the ring as NXT Superstar Tommaso Ciampa comes to the ring for a big pop. We get a pre-recorded sidebar promo with Ciampa saying he’s about to teach Roode a grown man lesson. The bell rings and Ciampa misses, allowing Roode to take control and work him over. Ciampa fights back but Roode sends him to the floor.
Ciampa pulls Roode out and unloads with right hands Ciampa gets tossed to the floor but he comes right back with a clothesline. Ciampa brings it back in and grounds Roode. Ciampa with more offense until Roode catches him with a Spinebuster for 2. Roode with big chops in the corner. Roode runs into a big boot.
Roode with more offense and another pin attempt. Roode exposes his knee and they keep trading offense and counters. Roode blocks a Fairy Tale Ending. Ciampa ends up knocking Ziggler off the apron with a big running knee. Ciampa and Roode tangle with Ciampa rolling Roode for the pin to win.
Winner: Tommaso Ciampa
– After the match, Roode and Ziggler beat Ciampa down as fans boo. Ziggler takes the mic and says tomorrow night on NXT, Ciampa and NXT Champion Bron Breakker will see why The Dirty Dawgs are the dirtiest in the game. Ziggler drops the mic and stands tall with Roode as the music starts back up.
– We see recent happenings between Reggie and WWE 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke.
WWE 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke and Reggie vs. Tamina Snuka and Akira Tozawa
We go back to the ring for mixed tag team action as Reggie makes his way out with WWE 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke. They hit the ring to pose as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and out comes Tamina Snuka and Akira Tozawa as Reggie and Dana look on. Tozawa is apparently obsessed with Tamina. The bell rings and Tamina starts off with Dana as they go at it. The 24/7 Title Rules are suspended for this match, according to Graves. Tamina launches Dana across the ring after some back & forth. Tozawa tags in, then comes Reggie in. They trade counters until Tozawa drops him with spin kicks.
Reggie with a leg scissors takedown for a 2 count. Reggie with a dropkick for 2 as Tamina makes the save. Dana dropkicks Tamina to the floor. Dana drops Tozawa, allowing Reggie to flip into a senton for the pin to win.
Winners: Danna Brooke and Reggie
– After the match, Dana and Reggie stand tall to celebrate as the music hits. Dana grabs Reggie and plants a big kiss on his lips. Dana and Reggie stand tall together as Tamina and Tozawa look on. Tozawa acts like he wants a kiss. Tamina hesitates but finally gives him a big one. Tamina walks away, leaving a dazed Tozawa stuck in the moment. Tozawa jogs up the ramp to be with Tamina as she heads backstage.
– Kevin Patrick is backstage with The Street Profits. They are confident about beating RK-Bro tonight and then getting in line for a shot at the RAW Tag Team Titles. The Profits don’t care who win the titles next week as they will be ready to defeat the champions at WrestleMania because they are up, and they want the smoke.
The Mysterios vs. Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin
We go back to the ring and out come The Mysterios – Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and we see what happened with Logan Paul and The Miz in the ring with The Mysterios last week. Rey takes the mic now and says at WrestleMania, Miz is done with all his BS. Dominik says but tonight they’re not focused on some Hollywood mega-dumbass and his fan-boy, they’re focused on this match against The Hurt Business. The music interrupts and out comes The Miz with a mic. He reminds us of some of his accomplishments and goes on praising Paul now. The boos get louder. Miz says with his help, Paul will become the second-most famous WWE Superstar of all-time. Miz brings up last week’s attack and says fans were cheering the Skull Crushing Finales on The Mysterios. Miz says he’s finally getting respect he deserves and who would’ve thought it came with Paul? Fans start a “you suck!” chant now and Miz tells them to shut it. Fans boo some more. Miz goes on ranting on the mic until the music hits and out comes Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander as The Mysterios look on from the ring. We go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Rey is going at it with Shelton. Rey fights Shelton off and nails a hurricanrana. Cedric tags in and slams Rey on the apron after some miscommunication with Rey and the tag. Cedric with a close 2 count. Cedric works Rey over some more and grounds him now. Rey fights up and out but Cedric slams him by his head into the mat. Benjamin tags back in to take over for a quick double team. Benjamin slams Rey and stands over him with right hands.
Cedric with another quick tag to take Rey to the corner. Rey fights out but Cedric takes him down. Rey sends Cedric into the corner with a hurricanrana, which also knocks Shelton off the apron. Dominik and Shelton tag in now. Dominik with a top rope crossbody and a hurricanrana. Dominik drops Shelton over the top rope and flies in with more offense. Dominik keeps control until Shelton slams him for a 2 count. Shelton charges but misses the knee in the corner. Dominik comes right back with a tornado DDT but Cedric breaks the pin up. Rey ends up sending Cedric to the floor and taking him out again. Dominik goes for 619 on Shelton but he avoids it.
Dominik runs the ropes and leaps out but Shelton grabs him. Dominik counters and sends Shelton into the apron. Dominik looks to finish Shelton off but The Miz interferes from ringside. Miz quickly runs away through the crowd while The Miz chases him away. Shelton takes advantage of the distraction and rolls Dominik for the pin to win.
Winners: Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander
– After the match, The Mysterios stand tall in the ring as we go to replays. The Miz taunts The Mysterios from the crowd as they point up at the WrestleMania 38 sign.
– We get a backstage segment with RK-Bro. Randy Orton hypes Riddle up for tonight’s match and then next week’s title shot. They head out together.
RK-Bro vs. The Street Profits
We go back to the ring and out comes RK-Bro – Randy Orton and Riddle, who is riding his scooter tonight. They hit the ring and pose as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and we get a brief video for The Undertaker’s 2022 WWE Hall of Fame induction. The announcers show us how Naomi and Sasha Banks hooked up on last week’s SmackDown. WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Carmella and Queen Zelina Vega are backstage now. Carmella says they accept and after she and Vega win at WrestleMania, she’s bringing out her fiance Corey Graves to put on a real show because if we think all they do is talk about sex, wait until we see how they celebrate. They walk off and we go back to the ring. RK-Bro waits as The Street Profits make their entrances – Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins.
The bell rings and Riddle starts off with Dawkins. They lock up and trade holds. Dawkins runs the ropes and hits a flying back elbow. Ford comes in and nails a big dropkick. Riddle grabs Ford in a Triangle out of nowhere but Ford breaks it up. Riddle with a gutwrench slam. Orton comes in and unloads on Ford while he’s down. Riddle ends up coming back in with a Floating Bro but Ford gets his knees up.
Dawkins tags back in and goes to work on Riddle. Dawkins unloads in the corner. Riddle fights out now, then clotheslines Dawkins to the floor. Riddle flies out with a corkscrew to take Dawkins down on the outside. Ford runs over, still legal, and knocks Orton off the apron. Ford thinks about which opponent he wants to leap out to. He flies out and takes Riddle down at ringside as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Riddle is fighting Dawkins off. Dawkins drops him to stop the tag. Riddle drops Dawkins with a big kick. Orton and Ford finally tag in. Orton unloads with clotheslines and a powerslam in the middle of the ring. Orton with the second rope draping DDT now. Dawkins runs in but Riddle meets him and they tumble over the top rope to the floor.
Orton drops down and calls for the RKO on Ford. Ford blocks it and nails a dropkick. Ford goes to the top and hits a big Frogsplash to Orton but he can’t hold it for the pin. They tangle some more and Orton goes to put his foot on the ropes from the roll-up but Dawkins moves his foot off for the pin to win.
Winners: The Street Profits
– After the match, RK-Bro is shocked at the match finish. The music hits while Dawkins and Ford begin celebrating.
– We see what happened earlier with Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens defeating Alpha Academy in a non-title match. Rollins and Owens are backstage with Kevin Patrick now. Rollins goes on about how they have all the momentum and will be taking the RAW Tag Team Titles to WrestleMania 38. Owens says the best part will be leaving that hellhole of Texas with their titles. Owens walks off and Rollins follows him laughing.
:ustitle2:
WWE United States Title Match: Finn Balor vs. Damian Priest
We go back to the ring and out first comes Finn Balor. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and we get another “coming soon” vignette for Veer Mahaan. We go back to the announcers and we see how WWE Champion Brock Lesnar and WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns signed their WrestleMania 38 contract on SmackDown, then how Lesnar destroyed security to end the segment. We go back to the ring and Finn Balor waits as WWE United States Champion Damian Priest makes his way out. Priest hits the ropes and poses as Balor looks on. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and Austin Theory is with WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon. Theory hypes Vince’s appearance on The Pat McAfee Show this Thursday. Theory asks what happens if McAfee says something that pisses Vince off, or tries to jump him? Theory says he could be right there. Vince asks if Theory would pull McAfee off him? Theory says he would. Vince says it’s not that kind of show. Vince walks off. Theory says but it could be that kind of show. The announcers plug Vince’s interview with McAfee. We go back to the ring and Mike Rome does formal ring introductions for Priest and Balor.
The bell rings and they size each other up. Priest drops Balor with a shoulder first. They face off and Balor decks him but Priest snaps, delivers a knee and then levels Balor off the ropes. Priest takes Balor to the corner but he fights out, working on Priest’s arm. Balor grounds Priest by his arm now. Priest powers back up and works Balor over in the corner again. Priest with the big Stage Dive into the corner.
Priest blocks a takedown and clubs him with a forearm. Priest grounds Balor again, then slams him as he tries to fight out. Priest covers for a quick pin attempt. Priest grounds Balor with a chinlock in the middle of the ring now. Priest with a big knee strike as they get back to their feet. Balor blocks a powerbomb but they roll through and Balor hits a low dropkick. Balor mounts some offense now and stomps away to keep Priest down as the referee warns him. Priest is out on the floor for a breather now. Balor runs the ropes and hits a big dive, taking Priest back down on the outside. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and Priest catches Balor in a big backbreaker for a close 2 count. Priest waits for Balor to get up now. Priest with big kicks. Balor blocks a strike with a chop and kicks of his own. Priest with a Bell Clap and a jab. Balor drops him to one knee with the overhead kick. Priest runs into a boot in the corner. Balor keeps fighting with strikes and a running forearm. Balor blocks a kick and takes Priest down for a double stomp.
Balor unloads with offense in the corner now. Priest goes for the Razor’s Edge but Balor slides down and hits a Slingblade, then a dropkick into the corner. Balor goes to the top for the Coup de Grace now but Priest moves. Priest drops Balor with a lariat. Priest goes for the chokeslam but Balor rolls him up for a close 2 count. Priest rocks him and nails a roundhouse kick. Priest follows up with South of Heaven for a close 2 count. Priest and Balor can’t believe it now.
Priest scoops Balor for The Reckoning but Balor counters and turns into the elbow takedown. Balor with another corner dropkick. Balor goes t the top and hits Coup de Grace for the pin to win the title.
Winner and New WWE United States Champion: Finn Balor
– After the match, Balor stands tall with the title as the music hits. We go to replays. We come back and Priest is staring Balor down as Balor clutches the gold. Priest takes the mic and says let’s face it – the people carried Balor to win his title. Priest says he never heard the admiration and respect from the fans during his entire reign, even though he was successful and a fighting champion in spite of them. Priest says he’s going to win the title back, and all that love, admiration and motivation from the crowd won’t mean a damn thing. Balor steps to Priest and they have words while facing off. Priest turns and drops Balor with a cheap shot as the boos get louder. Priest tosses Balor out of the ring and follows him. Priest then attacks again, launching Balor onto the announce table with the Razor’s Edge. Balor lands hard on the floor and Priest stands tall, yelling at the crowd. We go to more replays. Officials tend to Balor as Priest walks away.
– We see what happened last week with Edge.
– We go back to the ring and out comes WWE Hall of Famer Edge to address his WrestleMania 38 future. The pyro hits and fans cheer The Rated R Superstar on as he goes to the ring and we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Edge is in the ring, and ready to get right to it. He says tonight his WrestleMania road becomes clearer. He asks everyone is they’re ready to find out who will step up to him at WrestleMania. We wait a minute or so and out comes AJ Styles as the music hits.
AJ enters the ring and says he accepts the challenge for WrestleMania 38. Edge says he’s glad AJ accepts because it’s clear that they both have wanted this match, as have the fans. Edge says he wants the bulldog version of AJ, not the tag team b---h we’ve seen for the last year. AJ isn’t happy with those words. Edge takes advantage and drops AJ. They brawl and AJ comes back, laying Edge out with a kick.
AJ is hyped up as he heads to the apron for a Phenomenal Forearm but Edge ducks it. Edge comes right back with a cheap shot kick below the belt. AJ goes down. Edge stares down at AJ and then mounts him with some right hands. Edge has a dazed look in his eyes as he walks slowly around the inside of the ring for a minute or so, while fans boo him. Edge goes to exit the ring but stops. He keeps going but then walks around the ring to the timekeeper’s area. Edge grabs two steel chairs and brings them in the ring while AJ is still laid out.
Edge places one of the chairs under AJ’s head. He stops and thinks it over a bit, then backs off. He paces around for a few but then changes his mind, quickly picks up the other chair and delivers a Con-Chair-To. Edge looks out as the boos get louder from the crowd. He delivers one more Con-Chair-To chair shot and stands tall over AJ as RAW goes off the air.
