WWE Raw live results: WrestleMania build continues in Milwaukee

The Big Takeaway: Several WrestleMania matches are now official, including Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle vs. Stephanie McMahon and HHH. Also, The Miz will defend the Intercontinental Championship against Finn Balor and Seth Rollins in a triple threat match. 

Show Recap: 

Angle walked out. Stephanie and HHH are now being referred to as “The Power Couple.” Angle said ever since he was named the General Manager last April, he’s had to swallow his pride many times. He said Stephanie told him he had to do what’s best for business. But last week when HHH suckerpunched him, things went too far. He called out HHH to face him like a man.

Stephanie showed up to try to calm Angle down. She said HHH wasn’t even in the building yet. Stephanie got booed loudly. She said that Angle had five kids, the youngest being a 1-year-old girl. She said she knows that Angle wants to buy her the world. Since Angle was on his second marriage, his alimony payments must be steep. Crowd booed some more. Stephanie put over Angle saying he was a Gold Medalist and a 4-time WWE Champion, but are those accolades paying the bills? Being the Raw GM is paying the bills. Stephanie said it wasn’t like HHH wasn’t provoked last week. She blamed Angle for nearly ruining the Rousey contract signing and said Angle’s actions led to HHH being thrown through a table by Rousey. Stephanie said they were all on the same page now and not to let his ego get in the way.

Rousey came out to big cheers. She made a lap around the ring to slap hands with spectators. Rousey said what Stephanie did to Angle last week was very enlightening. She talked about how the people who brought her to WWE are now who she thought she was, which was fine because she’s dealt with bully bosses her whole career and she will deal with it her own way. Stephanie said she understand that employees don’t always understand the choices their bosses make, just look around the building, the fans take their orders and get it done. Stephanie said Rousey signed a WWE contract, which makes her part of the WWE. Stephanie said they gave Rousey her dream, to be a part of WrestleMania, the grandest stage of them all. 

Rousey said she was thankful, but her contract does allow her to choose her opponent for WrestleMania. Stephanie said that’s true, as long as it isn’t a current champion and is an active member on the WWE roster. Rousey jumped the gun a little bit as Stephanie asked for a big drumroll for Rousey to announce her opponent. Rousey got in Stephanie’s face and said “You.” Crowd chanted “yes.”

HHH came out and said this was not going to happen. HHH said Stephanie was the Commissioner of Raw and not an active part of the Raw roster. Angle said he thought HHH wasn’t here tonight. Angle said Stephanie was an WWE executive, but she also had an active contract as a performer. Since he makes the matches, Angle announced that Stephanie would be facing Rousey at WrestleMania. But Angle didn’t stop there. Angle told HHH after Survivor Series if HHH ever touched him again, he was going to come for him. So Angle annnounced he was adding himself to the match and said it would be Angle/Rousey vs. HHH/Stephanie at WrestleMania. 

Stephanie got in Angle’s face and started screaming at him. She started to give him the dreaded Steph slap, but Rousey grabbed her arm. HHH got Rousey to back off and tried to defuse the situation by getting Stephanie out of the ring, but HHH attacked Angle. But Angle was ready and threw several punched at HHH, gave him a Drop Toe Hold and attempted the ankle lock, but HHH kicked him off. Rousey stood above HHH, but Stephanie gave Rousey a forearm to the back. Rosey had a look on her face like “Can you believe she tried that?” Stephanie ran out of the ring. HHH tried to give Angle the Pedrigree, but Angle escaped and put on the ankle lock. Stephanie reached for HHH hands and pulled him out of the ring. Rousey grabbed Stephanie by the hair, pulled her back in the ring and gave Stephanie a Samoan Drop. Angle and Rousey walked up the ramp together and raised each others hands. 

Alexa Bliss and Mickie James (with a new heel hairdo) did a promo during the Jax/Asuka match. Bliss said Jax was not only going to end Asuka’s undefeated streak, but Jax was going to send Asuka to the hospital. 

Asuka defeated Nia Jax by tapout (11:35) 

Asuka attempted the Octopus, but Jax threw her into a corner. Jax gave Asuka a spinning slam where she hoisted Asuka up by her armpits. Jax had Asuka on a Cobra Clutch, but Asuka escaped and nailed a Shining Wizard. Jax drove Asuka into the corner for a two count. Jax caught the Samoan Drop, but Asuka got her foot on the ropes to escape Jax’s finisher. Or is it Rousey’s? Jax gave Asuka the Ultimate Warrior press slam, but Asuka rolled out of the way when Jax tried a legdrop. Asuka clamped on an armbar, but Jax got to her feet. Jax delivered a power bomb, but Asuka held on to the armbar. Jax picked up Asuka again and tried to ram her in the corner, but Asuka maintained the armbar. Jax again got Asuka up, but Asuka bounced off the top rope and reaffirmed the armbar. Jax fought, screamed and finally tapped out. Bliss and James looked on and Bliss looked concerned that Asuka was coming for her. 

Postmatch, they showed Jax getting up selling her right arm. It was a babyface spot designed to get Jax a standing ovation, and she did get a pop. It seemed they wanted to get Jax more over by losing instead of getting Asuka more over by winning. 

Chloe and Hallie were announced as performing the national anthem at WrestleMania. 

Raw Tag Team Champions The Bar defeated The Revival in a nontitle match (9:27) 

They announced that if the Revival won, they would get a tag team title shot at WrestleMania against the Bar. Cesaro did the old Demolition finisher on Scott Dawson. Dash Wilder made a tag for a dropkick to Sheamus’ back for the heat. Dawson pulled off a DDT on Sheamus for a two count. Cesaro gave Dawson an uppercut in the corner and tagged Sheamus, who gave Dawson a knee. Sheamus missed a charge in the corner, leading to Dash & Dawson giving Cesaro the old Power & Glory finisher, but only for two. Sheamus came back in the ring and hit Wilder with the Brogue Kick. Then Cesaro pinned Dawson after the Gotch Neutralizer.

John Cena was out next. He said he was there to talk to everyone about SmackDown. He said he has found his road to WrestleMania and it is on SmackDown, which is why Angle granted him the opportunity to talk about SmackDown on Raw. Cena said at Fast Lane on Sunday, there is a Six Pack Challenge for the WWE Championship. This Sunday at Fast Lane, Cena said a record that has stood for nearly 20 years will be broken. He understands it may not be popular, but this Sunday he will win the WWE Championship for the 17th time. Cena said all records are made to be broken, even the ones that we hold very close. He said it is the only way he can get to WrestleMania. Over the last few weeks, he has been criticized for being handed every piece of success, that he doesn’t earn opporunity and the only reason he stands there is to hold people back. He said he wasn’t given success, he was given an opportunity and with that chance he defeated A.J. Styles for the WWE Championship. Crowd booed. Admist all the adversity, he said he has never been a man to hold anyone back in this ring. When he beats Styles on Sunday, the critics will say that he will have robbed Styles of a WrestleMania moment. He said that isn’t true because when he beats Styles on Sunday, he wants Styles to use his rematch clause to set up a three-way match at WrestleMania, with Cena vs. Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura. 

Of all people, Goldust came out. Goldust quoted a scene from “On the Waterfront” and said he always had a Dream of sharing the silver screen with someone like Cena. The dream of soaking in the spotlight at WrestleMania, and that dream starts with him stopping Cena from going to WrestleMania. Goldust said all his dreams haven’t had a perfect ending. Goldust said it seems like his dreams have been taken from him, and they have turned grey. In a weird speech, Goldust said his job tonight was to shatter Cena’s dreams, and he then gave Cena a cheap shot. 

John Cena defeated Goldust (3:49) 

Cena won with the AA. Crowd was as silent as you’ll hear from a Cena match because they knew Goldust had no chance. 

Elias approached Angle backstage and said that Angle should reconsider the Symphony of Destruction match with Braun Strowman tonight. Angle thought about it for about a second, then said he wasn’t going to cancel the match. Not only that, but Angle made it a Falls Count Anywhere match. 

Bayley came out. Charly Caruso was set to interview her about her not tagging Sasha Banks last week. Bayley was about to explain her actions, but Absolution came out. Paige did a promo saying that Bayley was still a little girl who has yet to grow a backbone. Paige said Bayley turned her back on the only person who cared about her and if you don’t have backup in WWE, you don’t have anything. 

Bayley defeated Mandy Rose (8:43) 

Bayley won with an Oklahoma Side Roll after Sonya DeVille jumped on the apron in an effort to distract Bayley. Mandy Rose attempted a schoolgirl cradle after Bayley knocked DeVille off the apron, but Bayley escaped leading to the finish. DeVille and Rose jumped Bayley after the match. Banks ran out for the save and sent Rose and DeVille out of the ring. Banks tried to shake Bayley’s hand, but Bayley brushed her off. Banks stepped back, then tried to hug Bayley. Again, Bayley shunned banks and left the ring without thanking her for the save. 

Bliss talked with Jax backstage and delivered a speech to her designed to make Jax a sympathetic babyface. Bliss said that she knows that Jax has to be devastated that she quit tonight, which means that she won’t be on the WrestleMania card. In a soft tone, Bliss said throughout Jax’s life, Jax has been an outcast. She was always bigger than the other girls and other people made fun of her. Jax was crying as the camera focused in on her. Bliss said Jax can’t let this loss get to her and Jax will lose everyone’s respect if she does. 

Strowman did an interview that was designed to get in as many Megadeth references as possible. Strowman said he knows that Elias has been sweating bullets (from Megadeth’s Countdown to Extinction album) because Elias known tonight begins his Countdown to Extinction. Corey Graves started reeling off lyrics to the chorus from  Symphony of Destruction, which is arguably Megadeth’s best known song. Funny enough, Megadeth’s “Crush ‘Em” was briefly Goldberg’s entrance music in 1999, and Megadeth lead singer Dave Mustaine expresses nothing but hatred for that song nowadays. 

A Symphony of Destruction match is basically a street fight with musical instruments on the stage. Elias was playing a piano this week instead of a guitar. Elias said he was living amongst the dead, he breaths life into everything he does, everything he touches, everything he says. Elias says he loves symphonies because they’re cultured and sophisticated, unlike this scumbag town. Elias stepped onto a drum kick and started playing, saying he could do it all. Then he picked up a guitar and said Strowman man be a monster among men, but he’s living in Elias’ world. Elias sang a song saying Milwaukee sucked and he wasn’t afraid of Strowman. 

Braun Strowman defeated Elias in a Symphony of Destruction match (5:00) 

Elias asked JoJo for a proper introduction. So the lights faded down, but Elias wasn’t in the ring. Instead, Elias walked to the back, went backstage and tried to leave. He hopped in a car and tried to drive off. As he attempted to put the car in reverse, Strowman was behind the car and supposedly holding down a car that was trying to speed off in place. Strowman chased Elias back to the ring and attempted the running powerslam, but Elias chop blocked Strowman and smashed a guitar across Strowman’s back. Elias went to the top rope and hit a Randy Savage elbow, but Strowman kicked out. Elias attempted Drift Away, but Strowman landed a right hand. Strowman dragged Elias up the ramp and went to the commentator’s table, where Strowman cleaned it off. Strowman tried to powerslam Elias through the table, but Elias raked Strowman’s face. Strowman recovered to push Elias into the LED display, throw him into a set of guitars, then took a stand up bass guitar and smashed it across Elias’ back. Strowman threw Elias under the piano, where Strowman played some piano before getting up. Strowman picked up the piano and slammed it on Elias. Strowman turned over the piano and pinned Elias. 

An emergency crew came out to put Elias in a neckbrace and he was lifted off on a stretcher. 

Bray Wyatt defeated Rhyno (:48)

Bray Wyatt pinned Rhyno with Sister Abigail in a squash. Wyatt called out Matt Hardy afterwards. Hardy showed up on the big screen and said the Great War is far from over. Hardy said there is only one battlefield worthy of a cosmic combat, the Hardy compound. They showed highlights of Hardy at the Hardy compound, complete with drones, the Mighty Stauregard boat and a field with the old Hardy’s logo designed on it. The reaction to the Hardy Compound was the biggest pop anything has had since the program started. 

The Miz, Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel were out for the 3rd annual Mizzies. Dallas and Axel wore gold jackets to look like Academy Awards. Miz ran down the fact that “The Shape of Water” won Best Picture over “The Marine 5.” Miz said Get Out is what Angle should do as GM. And Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri should be Three Billboards Outside New Orleans, Louisiana with Miz’s face on it. Miz honored the best of WWE. The Mizzie for the Superstar who is the Best at Patting Themselves on the Back included nominees Seth Rollins, Angle for being a father to Jason Jordan, and Finn Balor for holding the Universal Title for less than 24 hours. Miz announced the winner was a tie between Rollins and Balor, and they weren’t accept their awards because they weren’t invited. 

Miz said the next award was the Worst Decision by a Raw General Manager. The nominees were Angle for announcing Jordan as his son, Angle for making seven entrants in the Elimination Chamber, and Angle for not naming an opponent for Miz at WrestleMania. Miz announced Angle won unanimously and Angle can’t accept the award because he was too busy sucking up to Rousey. Miz said winning a Mizzie will help Angle on his resume when he’s looking for a new job after WrestleMania. Miz said he was ready to announce a Lifetime Achievement Mizzie, then man who was 55 days away from breaking Pedro Morales’ record. 

Rollins came out and said the segment was dragging. Then Balor came out, which annoyed Rollins. Balor said he wasn’t out there to follow Rollins, he wanted to do Rollins one better. Miz said neither Rollins or Balor deserve an Intercontinental title shot. Miz said no one makes losing look better than Rollins, except for Balor. Miz said since Balor won the Universal Championship for one day, he’s done absolutely nothing. Yet Balor will tell everyone how over he is. Miz said this isn’t Japan, this is the WWE where you have to bust your butt every day. Miz said to get over, you needed more than a hand sign that isn’t even his. Miz challenged Balor and Rollins to face him, Axel and Dallas. Rollins accepted. 

Seth Rollins and Finn Balor defeated The Miz, Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas in a handicap match (11:03) 

Rollins got the heat. He made his comeback with a superkick, forcing Axel to make the save. Rollins wiped out Axel and Dallas with a tope, then followed with a clothesline over the top rope on Miz. Rollins was about to do a tope on the three heels, but Balor tagged Rollins before he could do the spot. Balor did a somersault tope on Axel and Dallas, gave Miz a Sling Blade and Woo Dropkick. Balor was ready for the Coup de Grace, but Rollins tagged himself in and gave Miz the Curb Stomp for the pin. Balor looked unhappy with Rollins for making the tag. 

Angle came out and said that Miz would defend the Intercontinental Champioinship against Balor and Rollins at WrestleMania. 

Paul Heyman came out for the main event segment. he got some boos and Heyman was a total heel, calling the fans opinions “irrelevant.” Heyman came out with the Universal Championship belt and laid it down in the ring. Heyman said when Brock Lesnar successfully defends the championship and if he defends the title at SummerSlam, he will lay it down in the ring and possibly the UFC Heavyweight title, as well. Heyman said last week, Reigns criticized Lesnar’s schedule. Heyman said the biggest win of Reigns’ career was when he defeated the Undertaker last year. That got boos, but Heyman said Reigns was only one of two men in history to beat the Undetaker at WrestleMania. Heyman wondered did anybody bring up the fact that the Undertaker only wrestled once that whole year. He said no one made that statement because if they did, that would be bull**** (it got bleeped out). Heyman said the Undertaker is the Undertaker 365 days a year and Regins deserves props for that. Lesnar is Lesnar 365 days a year, except Reigns isn’t beating Lesnar this year. And if Reigns doesn’t like what Heyman is saying, then next week Reigns can do something about it because he’s bringing Lesnar to Raw next week. Heyman said “Afa Wrestlemania, Reigns can Sika a new title to challenge for because the Universal Championship belongs to Lesnar.” Heyman got light boos. He stopped, looked around the ring, then looked at the belt and said Reigns called Lesnar a bitch last week. Heyman held up the belt and said this is Brock Lesnar’s bitch. Heyman said the belt belongs to Lesnar and Reigns is eyeballing Lesnar’s bitch and Reigns can’t have her. Heyman said Reigns wants to be Universal Champion because his family’s bloodline runs through the business and the business runs through his family’s bloodline, but when you’re the Universal Champion, this belt is your bloodline. Heyman laid down the belt and said that isn’t a belt, a prop, or a strap, that’s a declarative statement that you’re better than anybody else. Heyman said it’s not how bad you want the title, it’s how bad the title wants you. It means if your father has an accident at 3AM the night before a PPV, you can’t go home to see him because the title needs you. Heyman said Reigns doesn’t want to shoot on the microphone with Paul Heyman and you don’t want to shoot in the ring with Lesnar. 

Reigns came out to very little reaction. He walked in the ring with Heyman, got in his face and started arguing with him. Heyman picked up the belt. Reigns said Lesnar sent Heyman out for Lesnar’ rebuttal after what he said last week. Reigns said Lesnar really is a bitch, isn’t he. All reigns is asking for Lesnar to do is to show up for work. Reigns said if Lesnar is going to be in Detroit next week, so will he. But he wants Lesnar to show up next week not for a promo segment. He wants Lesnar to show up for a fight. Heyman hastily left.