WWE RAW Live Coverage - March 23rd, 2020

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How will Orton respond to Edge's challenge?

After weeks of attacks against Edge and his family, Randy Orton weighs a WrestleMania challenge from an old friend turned bitter foe. Monday Night Raw airs live Monday at 8/7 C on USA Network.


:raw:

- Tonight's WWE RAW episode opens up on the USA Network with a pre-recorded message from Paul Heyman. Heyman talks about how WWE Champion Brock Lesnar has dominated the company for years. He names several Superstars and Hall of Famers - Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Randy Orton, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Steve Austin, Ric Flair, John Cena, and The Undertaker. Heyman says no one has been so dominant for so long.

The video cuts to Drew McIntyre. Drew says what Heyman said was true - no one has dominated WWE like Lesnar has, but then Brock ran into him. The video shows how Drew eliminated Brock in the Royal Rumble. Drew says in case Brock thought it was a fluke, he recently proved to Brock on RAW that he has met his match. The video shows the recent Claymore Kicks to Lesnar. Drew goes on about how he's going to knock Lesnar on his ass to become the new WWE Champion at WrestleMania 36.

- We're live from the empty WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. Paul Heyman is in the middle of the ring with WWE Champion Brock Lesnar. Heyman introduces his client.

Heyman says we live in uncertain times right now and in this time in history where we all need a little certainty, he gives us that certainty in Brock Lesnar. Heyman says Drew can do anything he wants to, but it won't help him beat Lesnar at WrestleMania, a WrestleMania that is too big for one night. Heyman goes on about Lesnar beating Drew at WrestleMania at The Beast stares straight ahead, all business. Heyman says after what happened at the Rumble and then at RAW in Brooklyn, Lesnar will make it quick, but not painless. Heyman says Drew will be just another b---h that tried after WrestleMania 36. Heyman hypes Lesnar up some more and wraps his promo.

- We go to Tom Phillips and Byron Saxton at the announce table. They welcome us to RAW from the WWE Performance Center. Still to come, Drew McIntyre and Randy Orton will be here. We go to commercial.

- Back from the break and the announcers hype AJ Styles and The Undertaker for WrestleMania 36. AJ will be here later tonight.

- Tom leads us to a replay of the WWE World Heavyweight Title match at the 2015 Royal Rumble pay-per-view. That match saw Brock Lesnar retain his title over Seth Rollins and John Cena in a Triple Threat.

After several minutes of the match, we take a commercial break and come back to Lesnar delivering German suplexes. We take another commercial break and come back to Tom hyping Rollins' appearance for later tonight. We go back to the 2015 Rumble title match. We take another commercial break and come back to Lesnar's win. The announcers hype Drew McIntyre vs. Lesnar at WrestleMania 36.

- Tom and Byron talk about WrestleMania 36 and how Rob Gronkowski will be the host of both nights.

- We see AJ Styles talking about The Undertaker and wife Michelle McCool on RAW two weeks ago. We also see footage of AJ talking down at Taker last week on RAW from the Performance Center, and Taker beating up Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson before signing their WrestleMania 36 contract. AJ will be here tonight. Back to commercial.

- Back from the break and we get a video package for AJ Styles vs. The Undertaker at WrestleMania 36.

We go to the stage and out comes AJ with Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. AJ takes the mic and hypes the match with The Undertaker at WrestleMania. He also mentions Michelle McCool controlling Taker. AJ cracks jokes on how Taker looked last week, comparing him to a goth version of Dog The Bounty Hunter or the Tiger King from the new Netflix special. AJ shows us the new video of Taker and McCool at the tiger rescue in Myrtle Beach, which we posted about last week. This is actually one of the tiger rescues featured in the Netflix special, but it sounds like AJ doesn't realize the two references are connected.

AJ goes on and says he's going to bring The Deadman back. AJ says he's going to bring Taker back in a Boneyard Match, just the type of match for Taker. AJ told us he was going to bury Taker. AJ says he will bury Taker right next to the plot McCool picked out when she buried his career. AJ says he got Taker again, laughing at his own jokes. AJ celebrates with The OC as his music hits.

- Tom and Byron plug RAW Tag Team Champions The Street Profits defending against Angel Garza and WWE United States Champion Andrade at WrestleMania 36. We go backstage to Charly Caruso talking to Zelina Vega, Garza and Andrade. Vega talks about how they will win their match tonight and then Andrade will become the most decorated champion in WWE at WrestleMania 36. Andrade and Garza also say a few words before they walk off. Charly goes to wrap the segment but Garza comes back and winks at her, leaving her a little flustered. Back to commercial.

- We get hype for Randy Orton vs. WWE Hall of Famer Edge at WrestleMania 36. Orton will be here tonight to address Edge's challenge.

Ricochet and Cedric Alexander vs. Angel Garza and Andrade

We go to the ring and out first comes WWE United States Champion Andrade with Zelina Vega. Angel Garza is out next and they head to the ring together as Mike Rome does the introductions.

Ricochet is out next. He hits the ring but the heels try to attack him. Ricochet fights them off and sends them out but they come back tot he apron and stare Ricochet down. The music hits and out comes Cedric Alexander next. He rushes the ring and stands next to Ricochet. The referee restores order and we get the bell. Andrade charges Ricochet but gets rocked to start.

Andrade turns it around and beats Ricochet down. Ricochet ends up turning it back around and beating Andrade down in the corner. The referee yells at Garza for trying to move the tag rope. Andrade rocks Ricochet out of the corner as the referee is still dealing with Garza in the corner. Andrade and Garza continue with offense and games until the music interrupts. Out comes RAW Tag Team Champions The Street Profits to join Tom and Byron on commentary. We go to commercial as Garza and Andrade look on while Cedric checks on Ricochet at ringside.

Back from the break and Andrade is working on Ricochet's arm. Garza tags in for the double team and a close 2 count. Garza works Ricochet over and snatches his tights off. Garza with more offense and a running knee to the back of the head. Andrade tags back in for more double teaming as Vega cheers them on from ringside.

More back and forth between the two. Cedric and Ricochet mount some offense now. Garza and Andrade both get double teamed and taken out. Cedric hits a big Flatliner but Garza kicks out and Vega is stressed. Ricochet tags in for double teaming. Garza fights them off but gets rocked by the double team in the middle of the ring. Cedric launches himself at Garza and then Ricochet follows up with a standing Shooting Star Press for a close 2 count as Andrade breaks it up. Andrade with the double team until he gets superkicked. Garza and Ricochet go at it now while Andrade is down. Garza gets the upperhand and flies back in. We go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Cedric flies in at Andrade but can't get the job done. Cedric charges but Andrade sends him face-first into the turnbuckles. Vega rallies for Andrade now. Andrade with the running double knees to Cedric in the corner for a close 2 count. Andrade keeps control and tags in Garza but Cedric fights him away. Garza goes to work on Cedric but Cedric tries to counter. Garza slingshots him off the top rope and drops him with a Cutter for a close 2 count. Garza grounds Cedric on the mat now, taunting him.

Andrade tags back in and works Cedric over against the ropes. Garza tags right back in for the big double team in the middle of the ring but Ricochet breaks the pin up. Andrade comes after him but Ricochet sends him to the floor. Ricochet goes to moonsault from the apron but Andrade takes him out and he lands hard. Garza and Cedric trade shots now. Garza with a big knee strike for a 2 count. Garza with more offense. Cedric fights the double team off. Cedric ends up nailing a huge leap to the floor on Garza against the barrier. Cedric works Andrade over and nails a big Michinoku Driver in the middle of the ring for a close 2 count

The Street Profits are going wild and making noise on commentary. Cedric stomps away on Andrade and shows frustration as Vega taunts him. Cedric unloads with strikes on Andrade. Andrade counters and levels Cedric with a huge back elbow for the win by pinfall, which was almost botched by the referee.

Winners: Andrade and Angel Garza

- After the match, Vega enters the ring to celebrate with Andrade and Garza. They point up to the announce table where The Street Profits are clapping for them. The two teams stare each other down and have words. Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins come down to the ring and a fight breaks out. Ford and Dawkins clear the ring and the heels join Vega on the ramp to regroup. Ford and Dawkins stand tall in the ring as their music hits. Andrade grabs one of their title belts and lays it between the two teams on the ramp. We go to commercial.

- Back from the break and the announcers look back at last week's "3:16 Day" celebration with WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin.

Shane Thorne and Brendan Vink vs. The Street Profits

We go to the ring and RAW Tag Team Champions Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford are ready to lock up with WWE NXT Superstars Shane Thorne and Brendan Vink in this non-title match.

Thorne starts off with Dawkins but quickly gets dominated. Ford tags in and shows off some while taking control. Thorne dodges a shot and in comes Vink with a huge running boot to knock Ford's head off. Vink unloads on Ford and beats him back down in the corner. The big man Vink with a big chop and more boots to Ford in the corner. The Vink with a big scoop slam in the middle of the ring for a 2 count.

Ford tries to fight up and out but Vink keeps him grounded. Vink rams Ford back into the corner and Thorne comes in for the double team. Thorne drives Ford into the mat for another 2 count. Thorne keeps Ford grounded now. Thorne kicks Ford around and grounds him. Ford fights free with a Jawbreaker. Vink comes back in and stops Ford from tagging.

Ford counters and hits a big enziguri. Dawkins and Thorne tag in at the same time. Dawkins rocks Thorne and launches Vink with a suplex. Dawkins goes back to work on Thorne and takes turns on both opponents in the corners. Dawkins slams Thorne to set up for The Cash Out. Ford tags in and flies off the top, nailing the big Frogsplash on Thorne for the pin to win.

Winners: The Street Profits

- After the match, Ford and Dawkins stand tall and celebrate as their music hits. We go to replays. The announcers hype Angel Garza and Andrade vs. Ford and Dawkins for WrestleMania 36.

- Tom shows us how R-Truth captured the WWE 24/7 Title from Riddick Moss while Moss was running in his neighborhood this past weekend.

- Still to come, Shayna Baszler will be here. Back to commercial.

- Back from the break and the announcers go over the WrestleMania 36 card.

- We go to the ring and Charly Caruso is sitting down with Shayna Baszler for an interview. They both have mics. Charly asks Baszler how she will conduct herself as champion if she's able to defeat RAW Women's Champion Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 35. Baszler has no response and just stares at Charly. Charly brings up her dominance and asks her to put everything into words.

Baszler asks Caruso why she looks so nervous. Are you afraid I'm going to bite? Baszler chuckles and says she's sorry, she couldn't help herself. Charly says that will be her point of transition as she brings up Baszler's recent bite to Becky's neck on RAW. Charly asks if Becky should expect the same thing at WrestleMania. Baszler says what Becky should expect is to lose at WrestleMania. Charly seems bothered by Baszler's responses to her questions. Charly says Shayna agreed to this interview. Baszler interrupts and tells her to ask the question she wants - why do you want to destroy, and if you do want to just destroy, why do you want to win the RAW Women's Title? Baszler says she wants the title because she loves to destroy. When I take that title from Becky at WrestleMania, it will destroy Becky, she says. It's not that complicated, she says. Baszler says she has shown everyone who she is from the very beginning. Baszler suddenly gets knocked out with a shot from something out of nowhere.

The lights come up and Lynch is there with a steel chair. A chair shot is what knocked Baszler out of her chair, to the mat. Becky delivers another chair shot and smirks, then walks off to the stage. A confused and hurt Baszler recovers on the mat as Becky stops on the stage and looks back again as her music plays, smiling.

- Still to come, Aleister Black is here. Back to commercial.

Aleister Black vs. Leon Ruff

We go back to the ring and out comes Aleister Black as the announcers hype Black vs. Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania 36. EVOLVE star Leon Ruff waits across the ring.

The bell rings and Black stares Ruff down. Black takes a seat in the middle of the ring and stares at Ruff. Ruff tells him to come on and fight but he won't. Ruff goes for a running kick but Black ducks. Black gets up and starts fighting with strikes. Black quickly nails a Black Mass for the pin to win the squash.

Winner: Aleister Black

- After the match, Black takes another seat on the mat as his music hits. The announcers hype the match with Lashley as we get a replay.

- Still to come, Seth Rollins is here. Back to commercial.

- Back from the break and Kevin Owens is in the ring. Tom hypes Owens vs. Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 36.

Owens says he was here to answer the WrestleMania challenge from Rollins last week but he was nowhere to be seen, but Owens has heard Rollins is here tonight. Owens calls Rollins out. The music hits and out comes Rollins to the stage by himself. Rollins walks down the ramp and around the ring, talking about how Owens trained in this building, the one that was built on Rollins' blood and success. Rollins goes on about how his first day in WWE was in an old warehouse. Rollins says he had to succeed for people like Owens, so they could train in a building like this. Rollins goes on and says Owens keeps refusing to fall in line. Rollins says none of this exists without Seth Rollins - WWE NXT, the WWE Performance Center. He says everyone owes him. There is no Johnny Gargano, no Takeover, non women's revolution, and others, without Rollins. He goes on and says there also would be no Kevin Owens without Seth Rollins. Owens has heard enough and tries to interrupt but Rollins cuts him off and wants to finish.

Rollins wants to know why Owens picked WrestleMania to try and make an example out of him. Rollins goes over his track record at WrestleMania. He says he's had more WrestleMania moments than he can count, and Owens has zero. Rollins says Owens has done nothing but fail at WrestleMania. Rollins taunts Owens for being left off WrestleMania last year, laughing at him. Rollins says Owens can't beat him on his worst day and WrestleMania is never his worst day because under pressure, he becomes a God. Rollins says Owens really doesn't stand a chance. Rollins drops the mic and walks across the stage to the back as his music hits while Owens stares him down from the ring.

- Tom hypes Charlotte Flair vs. NXT Women's Champion Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 36. He sends us to a replay of then-SmackDown Women's Champion Flair retaining the title over current WWE Women's Tag Team Champion Asuka at WrestleMania 34 in 2018. We take a commercial break after the first few minutes of the match. We come back and get more of the match, then take another break. We come back and see how Flair ended Asuka's streak at the big event.

Flair is backstage with Charly Caruso now. Charly asks what was it like for her at WrestleMania 36. Flair says for her it was inspiring. But what was it like for Ripley? Flair is sure Ripley wants to be just like her. Flair touts how she defended her title and broke Asuka's undefeated streak at the same time. She's assuming Ripley is excited to be the first NXT champion to defend their title at WrestleMania, but Flair is the master class at making history. Flair goes on bragging about her WrestleMania success and history. Flair says if Rhea needs a history lesson she's free to watch some of Flair's legacy matches, she might learn a thing or two. Flair delivers a "Wooo!" and walks off.

- Still to come, Randy Orton will be here. Back to commercial.

- Back from the break and out comes Randy Orton with a mic for the show-closing segment.

Orton speaks from the stage and says over the past few months he's done and said some things. These things came from a place of love but they've been seen as an act of brutality, of violence. Orton speaks into the camera to address WWE Hall of Famer Edge and says he will respond to his challenge tonight, but first he needs to get something off his chest and apologize. He says a few weeks ago he told Edge's wife, WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix, that Edge was a junkie for the crowd reaction. He was wrong - Edge is a junkie for his own ego.

Orton brings up how Edge said last week that Orton didn't earn his opportunity. Orton admits he was handed a chance because of his last name, but that didn't guarantee a Hall of Fame worthy career. Orton brags on his own career and accomplishments now. Orton says none of that was handed to him, he earned it because he has what Edge said last week he didn't have - grit. Orton goes on about grit and knocks Edge for sitting on his couch at home for the last 9 years wondering what if. Orton dismisses Edge's claim about Orton being a spoiled brat, and says Edge is the real spoiled brat. Orton says he loves Edge, he loves their kids, and that's why he tried to send their daddy back home. But no, Edge challenged him to a Last Man Standing match at WrestleMania.

Orton says Edge may be writing the story, but at WrestleMania, Orton will be the one to write the last chapter. And end it. Orton accepts the challenge. The music hits as Tom hypes Orton vs. Edge in a Last Man Standing match at WrestleMania 36. Orton slowly paces around on the stage as his music hits. RAW goes off the air from the WWE Performance Center with Orton staring out at the ring and the camera.