WWE RAW Live Coverage - March 16th, 2020
“Stone Cold” to celebrate #316Day
The Texas Rattlesnake is set to appear on Raw as part of WWE's celebration of #316Day. Don't miss Monday Night Raw, tonight at 8/7 C on USA Network.
:raw:
- The first-ever WWE RAW from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida opens live with Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton and WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler standing in the ring. There is no crowd in the Performance Center. They hype tonight's "3:16 Day" edition of RAW and how WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin will be here later tonight.
Tom shows us last week's AJ Styles promo on The Undertaker, where he commented on Taker's wife Michelle McCool. Saxton says Taker will be here tonight to sign the WrestleMania 36 contract. They go on hyping tonight's show and Tom brings up WWE Hall of Famer Edge being here tonight. The music and the pyro suddenly interrupts.
- The music hits as WWE Hall of Famer Edge makes his way to the ring. Mike Rome does the introduction.
Edge is all business. He enters the ring and immediately takes the mic. Edge says the past few months have been strange for he and his wife. He calls for the footage to be rolled. We see a video package on recent events between Randy Orton, Edge and his wife, WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix.
Edge goes on about how this has been a long time coming. He's talking to Orton while looking at the camera, going on about their history. Edge says they're a lot alike but there's one difference - Orton is an entitled brat. Orton is right - he's one of the best ever, but he had all this handed on a silver platter to him. Edge continues and talks about how he didn't have this handed to him, he came up under a single mother who worked hard. Edge goes on and says Orton is jealous of him because can't do what Edge can, and that tears Orton apart.
Edge reveals that Beth came to RAW a few weeks ago, when she gave the medical update, to retire for Edge again. Edge says Orton just couldn't let Beth finish. Edge says it's pretty simple now - at WrestleMania 36, if Orton has the guts, then it'll be Edge vs. Orton in a Last Man Standing match. Edge says this isn't a story Orton writes, Edge will dictate and at WrestleMania, Orton won't stand back up. Edge drops the mic and exits the ring as his music plays.
- We see RAW Women's Champion Becky Lynch pull up to the WWE Performance Center in her own custom painted 18 wheeler, minus the trailer. The Man honks the horn and hops out, marching into the building. We go to commercial.
- Back from the break and the announcers lead us to a replay of the 2020 Men's Royal Rumble match. We see WWE Champion Brock Lesnar dominating the early part of the match before taking another commercial break. We get several more commercial breaks as the 2020 Men's Rumble replay continues. After a few more breaks, we see Drew McIntyre's big Rumble win to become the #1 contender to WWE Champion Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 36.
- Tom, Lawler and Saxton are back at the WWE Performance Center. They talk about how WrestleMania 36 will air from this facility, instead of Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Lawler comments on how they say anything can happen in WWE and it does, but The Grandest Show of Them All must go on, and it will.
- The announcers talk McIntyre vs. Lesnar at WrestleMania and show us a replay from two weeks ago when Drew took out Lesnar on the stage with Claymore kicks.
- We go to the ring and Lawler is in there with a table and chairs for a contract signing. Lawler introduces The Undertaker and out he comes to sign the WrestleMania 36 contract with AJ Styles. Taker quickly marches to the ring instead of taking his time like usual, as the music plays and the lightning strikes.
Taker enters the ring and immediately starts flipping over the table and chairs. Lawler retreats from the ring as we go back to commercial.
- Back from the break and it sounds like Tom says The Undertaker was pissed because there was no contract present on the table. That was not clear before the show quickly went to a commercial break. We go to a video package on AJ Styles' recent promo on Taker and Michelle McCool, where AJ promised to put the nail in Taker's coffin and take his soul.
We go back to the Performance Center and Taker is pacing around the ring. Tom confirms that Taker is pissed because there was no contract on the table. Lawler doesn't have an explanation. Taker continue to pace the ring until AJ's music hits. AJ isn't there. AJ's music starts back up but there's no sign of him. The OC finally appears on the big screen - AJ, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson.
AJ has the contract in his hand. AJ says Taker is a legend who has carried the business on his back, but he keeps putting himself in a company that wants to see him gone. AJ says you can bet Taker will put himself into a WrestleMania season. AJ says this is all Michelle McCool's fault, Money McCool. He says McCool helps Taker dust off his crusty jacket each year and go out to embarrass himself. AJ goes on taking shots at Taker, also calling him Mark. AJ says Taker has put his nose in OC business twice now. AJ goes on with the shots at Taker and his age.
AJ finally signs the contract and asks Anderson to take the contract out to Taker. Anderson isn't interested. AJ tells Gallows to take the contract but he's also not interested. They argue and AJ sends them both out, telling them not to back-talk him. Gallows and Anderson head to the ring with the contract as their music hits.
Gallows and Anderson slowly walk out as Taker stares them down. They're hesitant, finally laying the contract on the edge of the apron. They start backing up but the lights go out. We hear the bell toll once. The light comes back on as the bell tolls again. Taker is no longer in the ring, but now he's standing behind Gallows and Anderson. They finally turn around to see Taker standing behind them but it's too late. Taker destroys Gallows and Anderson at ringside, sending them into the barriers and the steel ring steps. Taker signs the contract as AJ watches on the big screen. Taker rips the contract out of the holder and shoves it in Anderson's mouth. Taker's music starts back up as he marches to the top of the ramp. AJ is on the big screen, staring back at Taker. Taker stares back as his music starts up to end the segment.
- Still to come, Rey Mysterio vs. Andrade.
- The announcers lead us to another throwback video of Steve Austin to celebrate "3:16 Day" and tonight's appearance. Back to commercial.
Andrade vs. Rey Mysterio
Back from the break and out comes Rey Mysterio to the ring. WWE Women's Tag Team Champion Asuka has joined the announcers for commentary. WWE United States Champion Andrade is out next with Zelina Vega for this non-title match.
The bell rings and they go at it. Andrade drops Rey and stomps away. Asuka is making things unbearable on commentary. Rey fights back and takes Andrade down with a head scissors. Andrade distracts the referee, allowing Vega to pull Rey's leg from the floor. Rey goes on and flies from the top but Andrade dropkicks him in mid-air. Andrade takes advantage for a close pin attempt.
More back and forth after the break. Rey flies in with the seated senton from the apron. Rey with more offense and a big kick to the face for a close 2 count. Rey goes on keeping control and drops Andrade into position for 619, but it's blocked with a big elbow to the face. Andrade covers for another close 2 count.
Andrade and Vega laugh at Rey now. Andrade with a snap suplex. Andrade goes for the three suplexes but Rey blocks it and ends up hitting the 619. Rey goes on with more offense and get the pin for the non-title win.
Winner: Rey Mysterio
- After the match, Vega is shocked as the music hits and Rey begins his celebration.
- We get a video package to hype Shayna Baszler's dominance as she prepares to challenge RAW Women's Champion Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 36. We see video of Lynch arriving earlier today in her big rig. Back to commercial.
- Back from the break and out comes RAW Women's Champion Becky Lynch to the ring. Becky takes the mic and says this is for Shayna Baszler. Becky knows she's watching and listening because she's obsessed. We see Baszler watching backstage. Becky goes on bragging and says as long as she's the champion, Baszler's whole existence is a lie. Becky calls Baszler an animal scumbag. Becky says everything she's done is designed to make Baszler think of Becky what Becky wants. Becky goes on with the trash talking. She says watching Baszler dominate at Elimination Chamber did wake her up. She goes on and says she will prove at WrestleMania that Baszler's whole life is a lie, and it's going to hit her like a truck. We see Baszler watching backstage again as Becky drops the mic and raises the title while her music hits.
- We get another "3:16 Day" throwback video on Stone Cold. Back to commercial.
- Back from the break and the announcers hype Charlotte Flair vs. WWE NXT Women's Champion Rhea Ripley for WrestleMania 36.
- Charly Caruso is backstage with Kevin Owens. She mentions how Owens wants to face Seth Rollins any time and any place. Owens agrees but wants to speak on his own, asking Charly if he can take the mic. She lets him have it. Owens knows Rollins is watching, and waiting. Owens accepts the challenge and says the match will happen at WrestleMania 36, at the WWE Performance Center. Owens says there is no better place for the match to happen and he means it. Owens goes on about how Rollins has had his goons and the advantages as of late, but Owens will have the home field advantage at WrestleMania 36 when they face at the Performance Center. Owens says the match will happen where he started his WWE career, where he had the hardest experience of his career. Owens talks about making memories and meeting special people at the PC, but he will add one more memory to that list when he beats Rollins in the middle of the ring, in the same building he earned his place in WWE, and he will do it at WrestleMania 36. Owens ends the promo.
- The announcers send us to another throwback video on Steve Austin from 1998, his WrestleMania 14 match with WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels and referee Mike Tyson. Still to come, Stone Cold will be here live.
- Back from the break and WWE confirms Randy Orton, Drew McIntyre and WWE Champion Brock Lesnar for next Monday night.
- We go to the ring and out comes WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin for his 3:16 Day celebration. Austin takes some of his Broken Skull IPA beers and has a beer bash as he enters the ring. He chugs the first two and does his signature fall as the music continues.
Austin takes the mic after the music stops. He declares that March 16 is now a national holiday from here on out. He asks for the crowd to give him a "Hell Yeah!" but there is no crowd. He asks again and Byron Saxton gives him the "Hell Yeah!" Saxton does this again. Austin reads off cards about what 3:16 Day means. There's more comedy from Austin here, and Saxton as he scores each card that Austin reads. Austin's last declaration is that 3:16 Day is a day where you can whoop anyone's ass at any time and that's the bottom line. Austin says Saxton has been such a big help in this segment, that he's invited to come down to the ring to celebrate. Austin has a few more beers tossed to him as Saxton heads to the ring, all smiles. Lawler and Tom see what's about to happen. Austin thanks Saxton and hands him a beer. Austin thanks Saxton for his work tonight and offers up a toast, but calls him a jackass. They start chugging the beers together and Austin drops Saxton with a Stunner while he's drinking. Austin's music hits as he calls for more beers to be tossed into the ring. Austin has a beer bash in the ring now. The music interrupts as RAW Women's Champion Becky Lynch makes her way out.
Becky is carrying a cooler. Austin is all smiles. Becky steps on Saxton like he's not there. Becky takes more beers out of her cooler and says she's here to celebrate 3:16 Day with Austin. Austin's music starts back up as he and Becky continue their beer bash. Saxton is still trying to recover. He finally gets up but Austin pours more beer down his throat and drops him with another Stunner. Becky takes the mic and gets down in Saxton's face, saying that's what happens when Stone Cold and The Man come around. The beer bash continues as the first-ever WWE RAW from the WWE Performance Center thankfully goes off the air two minutes early.
