WWE Raw live results: Damage CTRL vs. Becky Lynch & Lita
Date: February 27, 2023
Location: Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI
Show Recap —
Becky Lynch and Lita were shown arriving at the arena earlier tonight.
A video package recapped the Sami Zayn/Usos angle from Smackdown.
Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa entered for their match. Jimmy knew that people thought there were cracks in the Bloodline but it only looked that way from the outside. The Bloodline was a family and family fought all the time. The crowd chanted for Sami Zayn. Jimmy said that Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn failed when going after them.
Jimmy moved on to Cody Rhodes and the crowd chanted for Cody. Jimmy asked the fans if they thought Rhodes would get one over on the Bloodline and the crowd cheered. Jimmy said hell no he wouldn’t.
The Street Profits interrupted. Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins tossed a few insults at the Bloodline and mentioned that Jey Uso — not Jimmy — was given a 90 rating in the upcoming video game. (Jimmy got an 89.)
Jimmy warned them not to talk about Roman Reigns. Ford and Dawkins attacked them and cleared the ring ahead of a break.
Solo Sikoa & Tag Team Champion Jimmy Uso defeated The Street Profits (11:34)
(They showed a replay of Ford’s Spider-Man dive from Elimination Chamber.)
Sikoa took control ahead of a break and remained in control when they returned. Dawkins avoided a second running hip attack by hitting a running back elbow. Ford made the hot tag and hit Jimmy with strikes, a back suplex, and a standing moonsault for two. Ford followed later with an impressive flying crossbody for a nearfall.
Sikoa made a blind tag while Ford gave Jimmy a spinebuster. Dawkins tagged in but Sikoa shoved Ford off the top to the outside and superkicked Dawkins. Sikoa then dropped Dawkins with a Samoan Spike for the pinfall win.
— The Bloodline attacked the Street Profits after the match. Sikoa was going to kill Ford but Owens ran in wearing black jeans and a black hoodie (with no music) and superkicked Sikoa before dropping Jimmy with a stunner.
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MVP’s VIP Lounge with Brock Lesnar
The announcers were expecting MVP to enter but Brock Lesnar entered first without waiting for the host. Lesnar shook the hands of a few fans around ringside while politely saying, “how do you do?” Lesnar took a seat and awaited MVP.
MVP entered the stage and Lesnar nodded his head to his music. Lesnar invited MVP into the ring but he wanted to wait in the aisle. Lesnar said he had no issue with MVP and just wanted to do business. The crowd chanted “Suplex City” but MVP didn’t want them to encourage him. Lesnar assured MVP there wouldn’t be any suplexes tonight and the crowd booed.
MVP gladly entered the ring and Lesnar immediately reminded him that he called him a coward. Lesnar was just kidding, though, and he asked MVP to sell him and the fans on this fight against Omos.
MVP said everyone fell to Lesnar — except Bobby Lashley. Lesnar was mistaken to think he could handle a giant the way he handled everyone else. A giant could fight back and Lesnar wouldn’t be able to do anything to the giant Omos.
Lesnar acted impressed by the pitch and gave MVP a high five. Lesnar accepted the challenge. He wanted to shake on it and drink on it.
MVP wanted to toast with champagne but Lesnar didn’t have the same taste as him. Lesnar was a farmer, after all. Lesnar pulled out a flask and took a big swig. MVP still wanted to toast with the champagne but Lesnar talked him into drinking his White Lightning instead.
MVP took a sip but was grossed out and spat it out all over Lesnar’s face. Lesnar used MVP’s handkerchief to wipe his face and gave him an F5.
(The last time Lesnar was on Raw, his segment was also halfway through the first hour, so he’s probably long gone by the end of the hour.)
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Cathy Kelley interviewed Lynch and Lita about their tag title match. Lita wanted to make history again, while Lynch said she wanted to check something off her bucket list. Lynch said Bayley could give involved if she wanted to but they’d take care of her too.
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Rhodes gave his weight-lifting belt to a young fan and she hugged him.
Cody Rhodes defeated Chad Gable (w/Otis) (10:34)
They went to break a minute into the match after Rhodes hit a reverse superplex.
[SECOND HOUR]
Gable gained control during a break after Rhodes was distracted by Otis. Gable worked over Rhodes’ leg but Rhodes dodged a diving headbutt and followed with a powerslam and Disaster Kick for two.
The crowd chanted for Rhodes who applied a figure four but Gable got a rope break. Rhodes went for another move off the middle rope but Gable caught him mid-air and hit a German suplex for two. Gable followed with a cliffhanger DDT and moonsault for two.
They both got fired up and exchanged chops before Rhodes tossed Gable from the ring. Gable signalled for Otis but Otis was distracted off-screen so Rhodes hit Gable with a suicide dive.
Otis was still looking into the crowd for someone so Rhodes put his arm around him and spoke to him about whoever he was staring at. Otis went after him once he realized Rhodes wasn’t Gable but Rhodes sidestepped him and he tumbled into the crowd.
Back in the ring, Rhodes hit a Cody Cutter and Cross Rhodes for the pinfall win.
— Rhodes grabbed a mic. He said they were 33 days from WrestleMania and he has yet to stand toe-to-toe with Roman Reigns.
Rhodes said, “I am ecstatic that Roman Reigns is on Smackdown this Friday — because I’ll be there too.”
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Byron Saxton tried interviewing Baron Corbin but it was interrupted again because Saxton wanted to interview a nearby Kevin Owens instead. Owens said the Bloodline was suffering the consequences of their actions and they weren’t the only ones. Owens has been fighting them on his own for months and still didn’t want any help.
There was a Titanic movie parody with Bianca Belair and Montez Ford.
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There was a Judgment Day backstage promo. Dominik warned Rey Mysterio that he was in ex-con Dom’s prison now, Rhea Ripley told Charlotte Flair that she would become the new Women’s Champion, while Finn Bálor warned Edge that this would only be over when he said so. Edge was playing checkers while Bálor was playing chess and there was only one more move. Bálor challenged him to a match at WrestleMania.
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Maxxine Dupri and the Maximum Male Models approached Otis. Dupri said they would be delighted to watch him in action tonight if he had a match (Mace and Mansoor were far less enthused). Otis said he could make that happen and scampered off to find Adam Pearce.
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Asuka defeated Carmella (8:45)
This is not the match I would have done with Asuka.
Corey Graves screamed about Carmella on commentary for a minute straight when the match started. He also reminded us that Carmella has twice beaten Asuka in the past (2018) while Asuka has never beaten her.
Carmella hit a superkick outside the ring which led to an early commercial break. Carmella held control through the break and Graves had Kevin Patrick repeatedly inform us of this fact.
Asuka eventually put Carmella in her submission finisher for the win.
— After the match, Asuka called out Bianca Belair who immediately entered to her music.
Belair thought Asuka should let everyone know that they were going to tear the house down at WrestleMania because if she said anything else, Belair would remind her why you can’t spell “WrestleMania” without “E.S.T.”
Before Asuka could respond, Carmella decked her from behind which knocked over both Asuka and Belair. Carmella left and Belair stared her down.
This was no good.
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Candice LeRae defeated Piper Niven (2:33)
Nikki Cross watched the match at ringside.
Niven was fully in control and chucked Cross into the barricade as it seemed like Cross was about to go after her (for beating up LeRae). As Niven entered the ring, LeRae caught her in a schoolboy for the pinfall win.
The crowd was as quiet as a wrestling crowd can get.
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Saxton interviewed Johnny Gargano who said he was proud of LeRae and her win. Judgment Day approached and Gargano made a dig about them going through a goth phase. Damian Priest wasn’t impressed with Gargano using the same old goth line. Bálor warned Gargano that he would get squished by Otis tonight, but if he didn’t, Bálor would finish the job next week.
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Miz TV
Miz wanted to introduce us to the host of WrestleMania. They did a big drum roll to reveal the host would be… The Miz. He ran down some of the main event matches before being interrupted by Seth Rollins.
The crowd sang Rollins’ song so Miz told them to shut up. Rollins told him not to get his panties in a bunch. Miz was annoyed that Rollins kept stepping on his moment the past few weeks. Rollins said he stomped Miz a few weeks ago because he was being a jerk. He stomped him three times in their match because he was being a “b-hole.”
Miz said he wasn’t a b-hole, he was more of an “A” type of person which was meant to evoke an “asshole” chant but it didn’t really catch on. Rollins said he was out there because he has unsuccessfully been trying to get a hold of Logan Paul and he figured Miz could help. Rollins wanted Miz to call Paul but Miz said no.
Miz called Rollins a clown who didn’t have anything for WrestleMania so Rollins superkicked him. Rollins stole Miz’s phone while he was down and used Miz’s face to unlock it.
Rollins called Paul on video chat and asked him how his brother was doing (which did get a reaction). Rollins invited him to show up to Raw next week like a man. Paul accepted the invitation. Rollins said “bye-bye, bitch” before hanging up the phone. He danced, proud of his behaviour.
Rollins stomped Miz before leaving.
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Kelley interviewed Damage CTRL about their title defence. Basically, Bayley wasn’t worried about it.
After they left, Austin Theory approached Kelley. He said it was appropriate that she was interviewing the Women’s Tag Team Champions but he was annoyed that people were talking more about John Cena and about not him and his recent success. Theory planned on meeting Cena face-to-face in Boston next week.
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They replayed the Bray Wyatt segment from Smackdown. Rick Boogs was shown in the back taking notes during the match.
Bobby Lashley defeated Elias (1:32)
Lashley hit a flatliner, a spear and applied the Hurt Lock for the submission win.
— Lashley was not in a good mood. He said he owned Lesnar at Elimination Chamber and yet, he was now playing Wyatt’s kid games. Lashley didn’t plan on playing games and warned Wyatt to keep his name out of his mouth or else.
A video of Wyatt doing the muscle man dance appeared on the screen with clips of Lashley spliced in. It ended with Wyatt saying, “you should run.”
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Chelsea Green berated Adam Pearce because she wound up in Ottawa, Illinois last week. She claimed not to know that there was even an Ottawa, Ontario but Pearce reminded her that the was Canadian.
Carmella approached Pearce to complain about something. He granted her a match against Belair next week before leaving his own office to take a phone call. Green and Carmella seemed to get along swimmingly after he left.
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Johnny Gargano defeated Otis (w/Maxxine Dupri & Maximum Male Models) (2:52)
Gargano tried a dive but Otis caught him and dropped him on the announce table. Otis did a little flex in Dupri’s direction before getting back in the ring.
Mace grabbed Gargano so Dexter Lumis, who appeared suddenly, grabbed Mace and dragged him into the crowd.
Gargano used the distraction to hit Otis with a DDT on the apron followed by One Final Beat in the ring for the pinfall win. Gargano and Lumis gave Dupri a thumbs up from across the ring.
(They didn’t explicitly explain why Gable didn’t accompany Otis to the ring but Otis was shown standing outside the trainer’s room following Gable’s match earlier so presumably, he was being checked on.)
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Kelley asked Paul Heyman about Rhodes’ announcement that he would be on Smackdown. Heyman loved it. He loved that Rhodes would confront Reigns. Kelley said that Rhodes never said he would confront Reigns, just that he would be there. Heyman knew better. He knew that Rhodes was going to invade Smackdown. Rhodes would confront Reigns — or he would be confronted by Reigns.
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Raw next week in Boston:
- John Cena returns
- Kevin Owens vs. Solo Sikoa
- Seth Rollins/Logan Paul face to face
- Johnny Gargano vs. Finn Bálor
- Bianca Belair vs. Carmella (non-title)
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Becky Lynch & Lita defeated Dakota Kai & IYO SKY to win the Women’s Tag Team Championships (13:22)
Trish Stratus returned to help Lita and Lynch win the tag titles.
Lita and Lynch worked as a team and were in full control through a break. Lynch dropped Kai and SKY with a DDT/reverse DDT combo before hitting Kai with Diamond Dust. SKY attacked Lynch as she tried putting Kai in a Disarmer and SKY followed with an Asai moonsault for two. Kai and SKY worked over Lynch until Kai and Lynch dropped each other with clotheslines.
Bayley slid a title belt into the ring to distract the referee so that she could yank Lita off the apron. Kai and SKY hit Lynch with a double back suplex but only got a two count.
Trish Stratus’ music hit and she sprinted out to go after Bayley. Stratus hugged Lita who got the hot tag. SKY kicked out of some move by Lita and went for a moonsault but Lita dodged it and hit Twist of Fate. Stratus blocked Bayley from interfering again while Lynch put Kai in the Disarmer.
Lita hit SKY with a moonsault for the pinfall win. Crowd popped for the win. Lita and Lynch are the new tag team champions. Fireworks went off as Lynch and Lita celebrated with Stratus.
