WWE Raw live results: Elimination Chamber go-home show
Date: February 13, 2023
Location: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY
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Show Recap —
Becky Lynch stood in the ring to start Raw, along with Adam Pearce in the corner. The Brooklyn crowd chanted for Lynch who welcomed us to Raw. She introduced Pearce who was lightly booed. Lynch spoke about her win over Bayley last week and gave Lita a shout-out (the crowd chanted for Lita).
Lynch realized that her path to WrestleMania wasn’t clear because she got distracted by those Damage CTRL fools. Her goal was to be Raw Women’s Champion — which is why she brought Pearce to the ring. She wanted the opportunity to fight her way into the Elimination Chamber.
Bayley interrupted. She was booed. Bayley said they weren’t finished and said she wanted to be champion. They went back and forth bragging about their various accomplishments and insulting each other until Bianca Belair interrupted.
Belair said they wanted to talk about her but maybe they should talk to her. (The crowd chanted for Belair.) Belair suggested to Pearce that Bayley and Lynch should have to go through her to get in the Chamber.
Pearce liked the idea so he made a triple threat between them tonight. If Bayley or Lynch won, they would be added to the Chamber and it would start with three wrestlers in the ring. However, if Belair won, neither would get in.
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Byron Saxton interviewed Judgment Day (without Rhea Ripley). Damian Priest was confident about the Chamber and warned the other five men who will be locked in there with him.
Dominik Mysterio said he knew what it was like to be locked up as well and was confident in Pearce. Dom mentioned that Ripley was out promoting Mania — and getting ready for Valentine’s Day (which he was happy about). Finn Bálor said they were about to smoke the Street Profits.
Damian Priest & Finn Bálor (w/Dominik Mysterio) defeated The Street Profits (7:34)
The crowd chanted “we want Mami” as the match started.
Montez Ford wiped out Priest with a dive while Angelo Dawkins yanked Dom into the ring and gave him a pounce. The distraction allowed Bálor to give Dawkins a slingblade and Coup de Grace for the pinfall win. (The match was cut in half by a commercial break but the portion we saw was fun.)
— Judgment Day attacked Ford and Dawkins post-match until Edge and Beth Phoenix made the save to a huge pop.
As Edge went after Priest and Bálor, Phoenix clotheslined Dom and was about to give him a Glam Slam but Rhea Ripley attacked her from behind and hit a Rip-tide. Edge slid back into the ring while Ripley and Dom backed off.
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They congratulated the Kansas City Chiefs on winning the Super Bowl and aired footage of Patrick Mahomes celebrating with a WWE title belt. (Corey Graves recapped the events of the game in case you didn’t see it.)
Brock Lesnar-Bobby Lashley Contract Signing
Lesnar entered first and chucked a leather chair from the ring. Pearce tried to introduce Lashley but Lesnar cut him off and called out Lashley himself.
Lashley’s music hit and ten security guards entered to stand in the aisle. Stagehands brought out a table and chair and set it up on the stage for Lashley who finally entered.
Lashley was sick of Lesnar getting special treatment despite Lashley always getting the upper hand on him. Lesnar acted like he was in a good mood and invited Lashley into the ring.
Lashley had his manager and agent and representative and even his kids look at the contract. Pearce told him to sign it but Lashley wasn’t sure he wanted to. Lesnar demanded that he get in the ring and began laughing at the crowd’s “Bobby’s scared” chant.
Lesnar threatened to beat Lashley’s ass but Lashley said he didn’t have the balls to. Of course, that was Lesnar’s cue to tear through security, which he did. Lesnar charged at Lashley but Lashley gave him a back body drop onto the stage, followed by a spear.
Lashley signed the contract, dropped it on Lesnar, and left. Lesnar was down selling but smiled once he saw the signed contract.
(This was simple but well done and the brief physicality was fun.)
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Piper Niven defeated Michin Mia Yim (2:40)
They plugged this by saying Niven wanted to take out her frustrations on Yim and that’s basically what happened. Yim did a couple of moves in but Niven won fairly easily with a Black Hole Slam.
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There was a dramatic video package recapping the Bloodline/Sami Zayn stuff from Smackdown.
[SECOND HOUR]
Sami Zayn/Cody Rhodes segment
In the back, Cathy Kelley interviewed Baron Corbin who said it’s been a depressing week. That’s all we got from him because before he could say more, Kelley said there was something going on and they cut to the ring where Sami Zayn appeared.
Zayn said he wasn’t here to hold up the show but he had something to say and someone to say it to.
Zayn called out Cody Rhodes.
Rhodes entered to a big reaction. Zayn said he couldn’t stop thinking about something Rhodes said last week, that it’s looking more and more like WrestleMania will be Rhodes against Zayn.
Zayn wanted to hear it from him now. Was that just lip service, or does Rhodes actually think he can beat Roman Reigns? The crowd chanted “Yes.”
Rhodes had no time for B.S. He meant what he said. He believes Zayn can be his opponent at Mania. The crowd chanted “this is awesome.”
Rhodes said this wasn’t about what he thought, this was about what Zayn believed. Does Zayn believe he can beat Roman Reigns? The crowd did the “Olé” chant.
Zayn admitted that he didn’t know if he could beat Reigns. He’s been in the trenches with the Bloodline. He’s been in the dugout with them making game plans and they always found a way. Reigns talked about God mode and he was every bit as good as he says. Reigns was operating at another level. Guys bigger and stronger than Zayn have tried and failed to beat him.
Zayn knew he was capable of beating Reigns. He knew he was capable of being the champion. He knew he was capable of being WrestleMania main event material because he had to believe that. If he didn’t believe it, no one else would. But Zayn didn’t know if he could actually be the one to beat Reigns.
The crowd chanted “you can do it.” Rhodes said the crowd here and the crowd in Montreal believed in Zayn. There was also dissension in the Bloodline for the first time and it was because of Zayn. This awesome moment in time that we’re all a part of now was because of Zayn. Reigns can talk about God mode but he was just a man.
Rhodes said he won the Royal Rumble and he would finish his story at Mania but now it was time for Zayn to finish his. Rhodes didn’t want to see Zayn on Raw next week, he wanted to see him at WrestleMania.
(This was terrific and Rhodes was particularly effective here in getting the crowd into both of them.)
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Nikki Cross, Carmella and Asuka had a brief exchange (if you can call it that) before Candice LeRae confronted Cross about being followed around by her. Cross just laughed maniacally and backed away.
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Kelley interviewed an annoyed Corbin. Corbin called JBL a has-been and he was tired of being disrespected. He was pissed she cut off his interview for Sami Zayn of all people and said that Reigns would destroy him in Montreal.
Corbin pointed out that he was the last person to beat Reigns. He would’ve won the Rumble and gone on to beat Reigns at Mania if not for Lesnar. Now Cody Rhodes was getting the spot despite taking nine months off. Corbin thought Cody, his brother and his dad were a joke.
Cody was listening in the background and attacked Corbin as soon as he mentioned his dad. Cody called for a referee and dragged Corbin to the ring.
Cody Rhodes defeated Baron Corbin (2:09)
Rhodes wrestled in his dress pants and shoes after ditching his top. Rhodes hit Corbin with a suicide dive and finished him off after a short match with a Cross Rhodes.
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Liv Morgan and Natalya bickered about the Elimination Chamber before Raquel Rodriguez told them to cut it off and focus on tonight.
(I think the entrances for all six women combined took less time than Roman Reigns’ entrance.)
Six-woman tag team match: Asuka, Carmella & Nikki Cross defeated Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez & Natalya (7:24)
Asuka laid out both of her partners before forcing Morgan to submit.
(Morgan was trying to tap out with her fingers but the referee’s gaze was fixed on her face so she eventually had to verbally submit.)
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Chad Gable was trying to say something to Otis but he was distracted by his Coney Island hot dog. Gable chucked it aside because it was bad for him.
Mustard wound up on Mansoor who was nearby. Maxxine Dupri informed them that they were looking for a model. Gable assumed she was talking about him but she said she wanted Otis. She gave Otis her card and they left.
Bronson Reed walked by Alpha Academy and shot them a dismissive look.
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Bronson Reed defeated Mustafa Ali (3:14)
There was a brutal-looking spot where Reed caught Ali outside the ring and chucked him onto a chair in the timekeeper’s area. Ali managed to come back with a tornado DDT but only got a one count. Reed turned him inside out with a clothesline and won with the Tsunami. (The crowd was quiet for the match but they got up for the Tsunami.)
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Kelley interviewed Edge and Phoenix. Edge was tired of Judgment Day and warned them that Elimination Chamber wouldn’t be pretty. Phoenix said they would remind Judgment Day why they were called the “grit couple.” (This was an oddly mundane promo.)
[THIRD HOUR]
Miz TV with guest Seth Rollins
Rollins wore the big red boots you may or may not have seen making the rounds on social media.
They spoke about nothing for a bit before Miz began pestering Rollins about Logan Paul. Miz wanted to know why Rollins wouldn’t talk about Paul on WWE television. Rollins snapped and told “Mike” to shut up.
Rollins spoke about how much main eventing WrestleMania meant to him and the fans knew what it meant too. But Paul didn’t know what it meant because all he cared about was lining his own pockets. What Paul really needed was his teeth punched in.
Miz suggested that Rollins was jealous of Paul. Rollins knew Miz was stupid but he didn’t realize he was that stupid. The crowd called Miz stupid too. Miz reminded Rollins that he headlined WrestleMania which Rollins has never done.
Miz pestered Rollins some more and asked if he was going to stomp him with his Super Mario boots. Rollins decked Miz but before he could stomp him, Austin Theory yanked Rollins out of the ring. Rollins shoved aside Theory but was attacked by Miz. Rollins fought back and, in fact, stomped Miz with his oversized red boots.
Theory dropped Rollins with A-Town down and posed with his US title.
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Elias approached Rick Boogs in the back. Elias said he has heard all the comparisons between them and told Boogs not to feel the pressure of being compared to him. Elias (insincerely) wished him luck against Miz. Boogs appreciated it and started Boogs’ing out.
After a break, Miz was barely getting to his feet as Boogs entered. Miz called Boogs a meathead and said there was no way he could wrestle now. They started the match anyway.
Rick Boogs defeated The Miz (0:59)
Boogs started curling Miz like he was a barbell and the crowd counted along as he did it. Boogs hit his press slam finisher for the pinfall win.
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Chelsea Green wanted Pearce to put her in the triple threat match tonight. He said no. He pointed in her direction and she warned him not to touch her or else she’d scream. She told him that she felt threatened so he just left. She was annoyed.
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Saxton interviewed Judgment Day. Bálor told Saxton that they always had the upper hand. Bálor joked that maybe Edge and Phoenix were enjoying their beatdowns a little too much. Priest said he would win the US title and Ripley would win the Smackdown Women’s title at WrestleMania. Ripley said she would beat Charlotte after she and Bálor beat the Grit Couple on Saturday.
The announcers ran down the Elimination Chamber card.
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(The middle of the third hour was a bit of a dead spot in this show. The Boogs match was followed by the Chelsea Green segment, a commercial break, the Judgment Day promo, a Chamber plug, a commercial break, main event entrances, and another commercial break.)
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Non-title triple threat match: Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair defeated Bayley and Becky Lynch (15:25)
The match started during a break. Lynch dropped both opponents with a DDT which led to break five minutes into the match. IYO SKY and Dakota Kai joined ringside.
There was a tower of doom spot which saw Bayley bring down her opponents with a powerbomb. Bayley hit Lynch with a diving elbow drop but Belair broke up the cover. Belair fired up on both women and hit Bayley with a delayed vertical suplex but Bayley got her knees up on a handspring moonsault attempt. Bayley tried a cover with her feet on the rope but Lynch knocked her off.
Lynch hit Belair with Diamond Dust while landing on Bayley in the process. Lynch hit Bayley with the Man-hand Slam but SKY yanked her out of the ring and shoved her into the ring post. Kai saved Bayley from a KOD attempt and SKY dropkicked Belair. Bayley tried to stack up Belair but only got a two count.
The six women who have already qualified for the Chamber ran out to attack Damage CTRL and wound up fighting each other as well. SKY went to the top so Belair press slammed her out of the ring into the six Chamber competitor (Belair made this look easy).
Lynch gave Bayley a Man-hand Slam but Belair gave Lynch a KOD on top of Bayley and Belair pinned Bayley for the win. (Lynch was covering Bayley upon landing on top of her so she had to roll off while still selling.)
Lynch and Bayley failed to qualify for the Chamber. Lynch sat at ringside with a look of disappointment.
(This was a bit of an odd ending because the babyface won but the other babyface failed in her goal.)
— The announcers ran down the Chamber card one more time.