WWE Raw live results: The Miz vs. Bobby Lashley
Date: March 1, 2021
Location: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL
The Big Takeaway —
Mercifully, Bobby Lashley is the WWE Champion after a long, frustrating Raw show.
Show Recap —
There was a long video recap of last week’s angle to set up tonight’s title match.
Tom Phillips said tonight would be one of the biggest nights in Raw history.
Drew McIntyre promo
McIntyre said it’s been a bitch of a month for him. He was stabbed in the back by Sheamus and still doesn’t understand why and now they were about to beat the hell out of each other. He retained his champion inside a brutal chamber match only to be attacked by Bobby Lashley. Then the resident cockroach Miz successfully cashed in his contract.
“That’s right, everybody. The freakin’ Miz is the WWE Champion.”
McIntyre looked up at the WrestleMania sign and contemplated what was next. He planned on regaining his title and main eventing Mania. He didn’t win the title at the Performance Center and defend it night in and night out in the Thunderdome only to be left out at Mania.
The Miz and John Morrison interrupted. Miz wanted a proper introduction. Mike Rome introduced him as WWE Champion and a big fireworks display went off.
Miz said McIntyre should hold his head up high because he couldn’t control what happened to him. Miz took advantage of the situation and won the title again. McIntyre invited him into the ring for a hug. Miz knew better to do that. Miz wondered why McIntyre was even upset with him. He used the MITB briefcase exactly how it was designed to be used.
Miz said he should only be mad at Lashley. McIntyre wasn’t biting. He wasn’t planning on getting involved in their match and told Miz he’d have to deal with Lashley himself.
Miz called himself the victim. Lashley threatened his well-being despite having two children. He had no choice to make the deal with Lashley. Miz wanted McIntyre to join him and Morrison. Morrison said they could be the “three M-igos.”
MVP interrupted. He wanted to know that McIntyre wasn’t taking this seriously. McIntyre reminded MVP that he turned down MVP’s own offer a year ago because he didn’t need anyone’s help. MVP left but not before telling Miz that his title defense would begin at 9:00pm.
Sheamus interrupted. He said a few words before McIntyre went after him. They brawled around ringside as officials tried breaking them up. McIntyre clotheslined Sheamus over the barricade (which didn’t cause him to disappear as it did to Daniel Bryan on Friday). Sheamus reemerged as McIntyre posed on the ropes and they went to break.
Drew McIntyre defeated Sheamus (23:04)
This started slow but ended up being quite good.
Sheamus worked over McIntyre and cut off a McIntyre comeback attempt by Brogue kicking him off the apron, which led to break. Sheamus remained in control after the break and used a backbreaker for two. They smacked each other in the face until McIntyre came back with clotheslines and an overhead suplex.
Sheamus dropped McIntyre onto the apron but McIntyre shoved him into the post before giving him an overhead suplex onto the edge of the announce table. McIntyre broke the ten count before giving Sheamus a vertical suplex on the table. McIntyre followed with a flying clothesline in the ring for a nearfall.
Sheamus blocked a DDT and hit a clothesline. Sheamus went to the top, but as he did, McIntyre kipped up and headbutted him. McIntyre followed with a super belly-to-belly suplex for two. This led to another break.
They exchanged fists before McIntyre hit a spinebuster for two. Sheamus nailed a knee strike for two, followed by White Noise for two. McIntyre used a schoolboy for two followed by a Future Shock DDT for two.
Sheamus saw a Claymore coming so he left the ring. They wound up on the turnbuckles and McIntyre hit a White Noise off the middle rope for a nearfall. Sheamus responded with an Alabama Slam for two.
Sheamus went for a Brogue Kick but McIntyre nailed a Claymore Kick for the pinfall win.
Naomi was walking through the back with her music playing in the background when she suddenly bumped into Nia Jax and the music stopped. They just stared at each other until the commercial break.
There was a timer to let us know that the WWE title match was about ten minutes away (also letting us know that the next match won’t be any longer than that).
Tag Team Champion Nia Jax (w/Shayna Baszler) defeated Naomi (w/Lana) (2:19)
Jax was in full control and hit a Samoan drop but did not go for a cover. She taunted Lana before giving Naomi a chokeslam for the pinfall win. This was basically a squash. (They reminded us before the match that Naomi and Lana were still owed a tag title match.)
Jax and Baszler defend against Dakota Kai and Raquel González on NXT.
[Second hour]
Rhea Ripley is coming soon.
WWE Championship match: The Miz (w/John Morrison) vs. Bobby Lashley (w/MVP)
The match didn’t happen (yet). Lashley entered with MVP but there was a delay before Miz’s music played. Miz’s music hit but he didn’t enter. MVP wanted to know what was going on.
They cut to the back where the Miz appeared to be in pain as Morrison checked on him. Adam Pearce showed up and demanded to know why he wasn’t going to the ring. Miz claimed to be cramping up. Pearce tried to encourage him.
Lashley sprinted to the back as Miz told Pearce he needed more time. Lashley appeared, grabbed Miz by the face, and told him he was going to beat his ass for the title. After Lashley left, Pearce told Miz he will be defending his title at 10:00pm.
Braun Strowman segment
Strowman said Pearce and Shane McMahon clearly had something against him. He was suspended for headbutting Pearce and was left out of the chamber because of some dumb stipulation. He said the match sucked without him. Now he has a tag match he just found out about and doesn’t know who his partner is.
Strowman demanded that things change around here. Shane and Pearce entered. Shane told him to relax. Shane could see that Strowman was upset about not being able to achieve his goals. Shane talked about improving oneself and noted that he himself was taking MBA courses.
Shane read about conflict resolution (and joked about Strowman not being able to understand the material) and that’s what his tag match was about. He wanted to see Strowman get along with a partner and work together with WWE management.
Strowman asked if Shane was his partner. Shane said Pearce was his partner. This caught Pearce by surprise. Strowman thought that idea sucked. Shane thought it was a great idea and even offered them a tag title shot. Strowman liked that idea but warned Pearce not to screw up. He grabbed Pearce by the jacket and snarled at him as Shane tried to calm him down.
Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander defeated Braun Strowman & Adam Pearce to retain the Raw Tag Team Championships (3:13)
Pearce stood on the apron in his business casual attire. Strowman ran over Alexander and Benjamin when the bell rang and ran them over on the outside. Strowman tossed around Alexander but Alexander dodged a charge and Strowman went shoulder-first into the barricade.
Benjamin and Alexander double-teamed Strowman but he fought them off and gave Benjamin a powerslam. Shane excitedly yelled from the apron that Strowman should tag Pearce so he can get the win.
Strowman reluctantly tagged out and Benjamin caught Pearce in a small package for the pinfall win. Hurt Business retain.
Pearce bailed as Strowman screamed at Shane, “I’m going to wreck this place and it’s going to be on your hands!”
Elias and Jaxson Ryker approached Damian Priest and Bad Bunny in the back. Elias said his music was inspiring and Ryker was proof. Elias thought Bad Bunny had the potential for more. He wanted them to do a single together. Bad Bunny said something in Spanish to Priest who relayed the message to Elias: “that’s a no.”
Damian Priest (w/24/7 Champion Bad Bunny) defeated Elias (w/Jaxson Ryker) (15:22)
Before the match, Elias said he was upset about being robbed out of a Grammy nomination. He was about to perform but was interrupted by the entrances for Bad Bunny and Priest.
They actually took a commercial break during this match. Elias exchanged words with Bad Bunny after Priest clotheslined him out of the ring. Elias had a chinlock applied after the break. Priest came back with an arm drag, they exchanged strikes, and Priest used an arm drag again. Elias yanked Priest’s face into the top rope to take over.
Ryker hit Priest with a cheapshot as Elias distracted the referee. Elias applied a chinlock again until Priest eventually powered out. Priest used strikes, a clothesline, a corner splash and a Broken Arrow for two. Elias used a Ryker distraction to apply a cradle but Priest countered into one of his own for two. Elias came right back with a knee strike for a nearfall.
A few moments later, Priest used Hit the Lights for the pinfall win. This was no good.
The long video package that opened the show aired again. Miz and Morrison were shown walking through the back.
[Third hour]
There was a commercial for the Big E feature on the network. It’s also his birthday.
Randy Orton segment
Kayla Braxton interviewed Randy Orton in the back. Orton doesn’t know what happened last week but does know that Alexa Bliss played a part. They aired a video package of Orton coughing up goo. Orton advised Bliss to move on with her life or else.
Bliss appeared on the screen. She giggled and called him silly. She said “bring it back” as creepy music played. A hooded figure appeared on the screen. It was Orton. He spoke with an altered voice directly to… himself. Evil Orton issued a warning and laughed maniacally as regular, less-evil Orton began coughing (off-screen).
Bobby Lashley (w/MVP) defeated The Miz (w/John Morrison) via countout – The Miz retains the WWE Championship (0:29)
Before the match could start, Miz had a proposition for MVP and Lashley. Miz noted that Lashley has waited 17 years for this and it should happen on a bigger stage: WrestleMania. MVP ignored him and told Rome to continue with the introductions.
Miz bailed from the ring as soon as the bell rang, grabbed his belt and sprinted to the back. The ref counted him out. Lashley and MVP were pissed.
In the back, Shane ensured MVP and Lashley that there would be a title match tonight. MVP responded, “Shane, this is bullshit, man!” He said they got screwed twice tonight. Shane said he would consider stripping Miz of the title and give it to Lashley. MVP asked if he would actually give it to Lashley. Shane said he’d consider it. Lashley would rather Shane find Miz so he beat the piss out of him.
Charlotte Flair promo
Charlotte said when she came back and all she wanted to do was be Asuka’s tag partner. She wasn’t even thinking about the Raw Women’s title. Asuka busted her ass for months and Charlotte just wanted to fight with her. Then she got tangled up with Lacey Evans.
She noted that Bianca Belair will be facing Sasha Banks for the Smackdown title which meant Asuka needed a Mania opponent. Charlotte wanted to be that person. However, Asuka was currently at home, injured.
They aired a brutal replay of Baszler kicking Asuka in the mouth and there was a slow-motion shot of a tooth flying out. Charlotte said Asuka would be back and she would challenge her when returned.
Baszler and Jax interrupted. Baszler called Charlotte an army of one fighting an uphill battle. Baszler took credit for Asuka no longer have any teeth and informed Charlotte this wouldn’t be the road to Mania that she’s accustomed to. Jax said it was too bad that Charlotte sent her father home because the locker room wished that Charlotte sent herself home.
Jax said it would be Baszler or herself challenging Asuka. Charlotte intimated that she was the greatest of all time. Baszler got in her face. Charlotte attacked but they overwhelmed her. Jax gave her a leg drop and they went to break.
They claimed that Miz would be defending his title in 22 minutes or else.
Charlotte Flair defeated Tag Team Champion Shayna Baszler (w/Nia Jax)
Jax tried to attack Charlotte on the outside but Charlotte side-stepped her and she ran into the steel steps. Charlotte blocked Baszler’s Kirifuda Clutch and hit Natural Selection for the quick pinfall win.
Shane instructed Pearce to tell Lashley that if Miz doesn’t show up for his title defense later, he would be stripped of the title.
Miz has 15 minutes.
Six-man tag team match: US Champion Riddle & Lucha House Party defeated Retribution (w/Mustafa Ali & Mia Yim) (2:19)
Retribution didn’t get an entrance, thankfully.
T-Bar immediately gave Riddle a chokeslam backbreaker for two and they worked him over from there. Riddle dropped the rope down on Mace and tagged in Lince Dorado. Riddle wiped out Mace with a dive and Dorado superkicked Slapjack before tagging in Gran Metalik. Metalik hit an elbow drop off Dorado’s shoulders for the quick pinfall win.
After the match, Ali challenged Riddle to a singles match so he could teach Retribution a lesson.
Mustafa Ali (w/Retribution) defeated US Champion Riddle in a non-title match (3:17)
Ali dropkicked Riddle’s arm and Riddle sold it like his elbow was broken. Ali worked over the arm and hit a neckbreaker for two. Riddle fought back, hitting a Pelé kick, running forearms, an Exploder suplex, senton and a penalty kick for two.
Riddle hit a final flash knee but became distracted by Slapjack on the apron. Yim got in the ring to distract the referee and Riddle froze upon Mace getting in his face. With Riddle on the ropes, Ali brought him down with some sort of double knee strike (which had a rough landing) for the pinfall win.
Miz tried to plead his case with Shane in the back. Miz said he deserved to go to Mania and deserved respect. Miz represented the title well and wondered what kind of champion Lashley would be. Shane said we might just find out.
Bobby Lashley (w/MVP) defeated The Miz (w/John Morrison) to win the WWE Championship (3:01)
They did the big introductions but before the match could start, Shane entered. He announced that this would be a lumberjack match. (A smiling Riddle was among them, as well as Ali just a few feet away.)
Miz tried hitting Lashley with the belt when the bell rang but Lashley blocked it.
Miz tried stalling before punching Lashley in the face. Lashley no-sold it. Miz went to the outside and tried pleading with the lumberjacks but Drew Gulak tossed him back in.
Lashley hit Miz with a clothesline and shoulder tackles before chucking him across the ring. Miz tried pleading with Ali but Benjamin and Alexader tossed him back in.
Lashley hit a flatliner but didn’t bother going for a cover. Lashley pressed Miz over the ropes onto Retribution who chucked him back in.
Lashley hit a huge spinebuster as the Hurt Business (and Riddle and Jeff Hardy) cheered him on.
Lashley put Miz in the Hurt Lock and Miz tapped out. Bobby Lashley is the WWE Champion.
Lashley posed with the title and pointed at the Mania sign. Lashley put Miz in the Hurt Lock again before posing with the belt as the show ended.
(It was a bit odd that the lumberjacks just stood around after the match and that Benjamin and Alexander didn’t jump into the ring to celebrate. They did celebrate outside the ring.)