2/25 WWE Raw Results: Keller’s report on Ric Flair birthday bash, update from Roman Reigns, Ambrose, Bayley & Sasha

KELLER’S WWE RAW REPORT
FEBRUARY 25, 2019
ATLANTA, GA.
AIRED ON USA NETWORK

Announcers: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Renee Young

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Tonight after WWE Raw, join me live with guest cohost Rich Fann from the PWTorch Livecast “Deep Dive” program to break down the show with live callers, mailbag, and an on-site correspondent from Manchester.

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[HOUR ONE]

-They opened with a video package from the Oct. 22, 2018 episode of Raw when Roman Reigns announced that he was taking a leave to get treatment for leukemia and would have to relinquish his Universal Championship. They closed with the scene of Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins standing on the stage with him.

-Reigns’s music played and he walked onto the stage, taking some deep breaths and looking emotionally out at the crowd. Roman smiled and slapped hands with fans. A “Roman! Roman!” chant broke out. He circled the ring and smiled and shook hands with fans. He even briefly looked into the handheld camera following him around ringside, which stood out because wrestlers never do that. He spent extra time with family at ringside. Then he stood on the ring apron and looked around at the crowd. He paused before entering the ring and looked around, then walked around the canvas and again took another deep breath. Fans chanted “Welcome Back!” He thanked them. Reigns said, “I miss y’all.” He said, “There is no other job like this and no other fanbase like you guys.” He said he is ad-libbing a little bit (which he shouldn’t say because it says other stuff he’s doing is scripted) and then said he usually says this is his yard, “but this is our yard.”

He said he has faith and always believed God favored him and looked out for him until now, but he’s not going to lie, before his announcement in October, he was terrified. He said he was scared and insecure and didn’t now if he wanted to share his secret with the world. He listened as some more chants broke out, and a loud “Roman!” chant took over. He smiled. He said he didn’t know how fans would react when he told them. He said by the time he got home, the outreach from people calling, texting, and social media posting at him was overwhelming and a God send. “Thank you so much,” he said. He said it wasn’t just WWE fans, it was everyone. He said everyone who liked him and didn’t like him was showing him love and support. “So many people were praying for me, God’s voicemail was maxed out.” He said he thinks God was wondering what all the attention was for just one guy down there.

He said all the support gave him strength and new life and a new opportunity and a new purpose. He said the only thing that is important that he can do is the ability to step foot inside the ring every night, “and if I can do that, I’m going to use that platform to raise awareness and support those who are in need just like I was.” Another loud “Roman!” chant broke out. The screen noted that “Roman Reigns” was the no. 1 worldwide trend on Twitter.

“Well, we advertised it as an update, so should we get to the update?” he said. Fans chanted “Yes!” He said when he made his announcement, he said he was going to swing for the fences, “and we did better than that, y’all.” He said they hit a home run. He said the good news he is in remission. Cheers. He smiled. He said, “With that being said, the Big Dog is back!” A “Welcome back!” chant broke out. He said he said he will say this a bunch more times, but “thanks so much, y’all, I love y’all.” His music played and he leaned on the top rope and soaked up the moment.

-Cole then said, “Welcome back, Roman Reigns!” The announcers then shifted to plugging Ric Flair’s 70th Birthday Party. Renee let out a “Wooo!” She then plugged The Riott Squad vs. Ronda Rousey & Natalya. Cole said, “The Big Dog is back!” as Reigns slapped more hands with fans. He said last October they weren’t sure they were ever going to see him again. They were just over 20 minutes into the show again as Graves noted he was hugging his mother. Then suddenly Seth Rollins’ music played. He met Reigns on the stage and they hugged.

(Keller’s Analysis: That went well. The crowd, no surprise, cheered Reigns start to finish. Reigns seemed genuinely appreciative of the support and in missing his WWE job. He didn’t specify any timeline for his return, but he physically looked ready to go. Everyone seemed relieved and elated that he delivered good news about his health. Until the news was delivered by Reigns, I don’t think people assumed the news would necessarily be good.) [c]

(1) ALEISTER BLACK & RICOCHET vs. THE REVIVAL

Black made his ring entrance. They showed a split screen video package of highlights of Black in NXT with some soundbites from him and key traits listed by Graves. As Ricochet walked out, they aired highlights from him from NXT on split-screen too. The Revival attacked Black and Ricochet before the bell, but the babyface duo knocked them out of the ring and took them down as they cut to an early break. [c]

Back to the ring rapid-fire action with Black and Dawson. When Dash stood on the top rope, Ricochet knocked him off the top rope. The distraction led to a roll-up by Dawson for a near fall, but then Black landed a quick Black Mass for the win.

WINNERS: Black & Ricochet in 7:00.

(Keller’s Analysis: Has there ever been a less impressive beginning to a WWE Tag Team Title reign than how Revival have been booked? Their win was inconspicuous and it’s been downhill from there. With the ratings up last week for Raw, it’s no surprise Black & Ricochet are back already.)

-Charley Caruso interviewed Baron Corbin backstage about the disparaging things he said about Reigns announcing he has cancer. Baron said the past shouldn’t count, but besides, he never said those things. Caruso said they have it on tape. Baron said they were taken out of context, and he was under stress because he was both G.M. and an in-ring competitor. He said no one, especially Reigns, cannot understand what he as going through. Caruso asked if he’s saying he was under more stress than Reigns battling leukemia. Corbin said he’ll just say that Reigns ought to hope their paths don’t cross.

(Keller’s Analysis: If the continued strong push of Corbin in recent months was puzzling, the plan all along may have been just to set him up to be Reigns’s comeback opponent.)

-Backstage Shawn Michaels was chatting with someone about Ric Flair’s birthday bash. He was wearing an NXT hat. Johnny Gargano walked up to Michaels and Michaels put his arm around him. [c]

-They showed Vince McMahon’s tweet about Flair’s birthday. They showed a selfie video of Snoop Dogg wishing Flair a happy birthday.

-Elias sat mid-ring and barely said a word before Lacey Evans walked out waving at fans as her music played. She then turned and left. Dean Ambrose came out to his music. He said this show is making him feel festive and reminiscing about the past. “I think you know what I mean,” he said. He said positivity is flowing though his veins. He then issued a challenge for a rematch against Drew McIntyre, but this time with no DQ stips. He entered the ring as Elias began to play his guitar. Dean accused him of trying to play him off the stage like it’s the Academy Awards. Elias said it’s not the Academy Awards, because if it was, he’d be on his second standing ovation by now. He said he came out to sing a song about how much he loves Atlanta. He said Atlanta is fully capable of hosting the Super Bowl. “Winning it, now that is an entirely different story,” he said. Dean threw out some song suggestions and asked, “Is it time for Dirty Deeds.” Elias tried to swing his guitar at Dean, but Dean ducked and then gave Elias a Dirty Deeds. Renee shouted that she wants an encore of Dirty Deeds.

-The Riot Squad made their ring entrance. [c]

-They showed Ricky Steamboat backstage in the “red carpet” type area set up for Flair’s birthday. Cole said the stars are showing up. He said Steamboat is “perhaps” one of Flair’s great rivals. Graves said their 1989 trilogy might have been one of the best in the history of “sports entertainment.”

(2) RUBY RIOTT & SARAH LOGAN (w/Liv Morgan) vs. RONDA ROUSEY & NATALYA

Ruby began the match in her stocking cap. Liv tripped Natalya from ringside and then gloated. Rousey met her at ringside. She ran right into Natalya’s arms. Rousey leaped off the ringside steps and elbowed Natalya across the side of her face. Morgan ran around the ring and dropkicked Natalya. They cut to a break. [c]

[HOUR TWO]

After the break, Ruby was in control. She grounded Natalya. Graves said in the last few minutes Riott Squad did a great job dividing the ring in half. Natalya dragged an interfering Ruby to the floor and clotheslined her. Rousey then gave Logan her Piper’s Pit finisher. As she went for the cover, Becky Lynch showed up on crutches and pushed past security. She bashed Natalya with the crutch. Riott then went after her. They brawled and wrestled over the crutch. Producers pried them apart. Rousey punched security guys in the ring. Eventually four police officers ran out and dragged Becky away. Cole said Triple H warned her she’d be arrested. Graves wondered how she even got in the building. Renee said she has every right to guy a ticket and attend. As Becky was handcuffed, she told them to take it easy on her hands that she’ll be using to hold up the WWE Women’s Title. She said they should be arrested.

WINNERS: No contest. [c]

-Producers and Rousey helped Natalya walk up the ramp to the back. Rousey then walked back to the ring with the Raw Title belt over her shoulder. She was met with some boos. “It’s time to end this, Vince, come out here!” she said. More scattered boos. After a pause, Stephanie McMahon’s music played instead. Rousey shook her head in disappointment. Rousey told Stephanie to reinstate Becky in time for WrestleMania. Stephanie said as far as Becky goes, being reinstating to WrestleMania is the least of her problems now because she just got loaded into a police car. She said Becky has been arrested. Rousey said to just tell her Daddy to reinstate Becky. Stephanie said Becky is a victim of her own actions and emotions. She said Becky is unprofessional and “Becky Lynch did this to Becky Lynch” (channeling the “Bret screwed Bret” line). Becky said what’s best for business is adding Becky because it’s what she wants, what the fans want, and “what the ginger douche in cuffs wants.” (I think I heard that right.) Fans began chanting “Triple Threat.”

(Keller’s Analysis: That is exactly the chant Vince McMahon wanted when contemplating how to turn Becky vs. Rousey into Becky vs. Rousey vs. Charlotte; take Becky out of the match and fans will beg to make it the exact Triple Threat that fans were going to be upset about if Charlotte as “added to the match” when it was Becky vs. Ronda. And it’s working. Fans here are playing right into Vince’s hands as “easy to manipulate” and predictable.)

Stephanie said the answer is “a hard no.” Rousey demanded it. Steph asserted that Ronda works for her and nobody is bigger than WWE itself. Steph told Ronda that she works for her and she’s is a lot like Becky. She said her father said they are cut from the same cloth and both have a bad attitude. Ronda told Steph, “You don’t control me. I’m not like everyone else “you give just enough so they have to come back.” I bled enough. I am not your worker. I am Ronda Rousey and I am the Raw Women’s Champion.” She said she will carry the title as long as she faces the best of the best. She told Stephanie the belt is now “just a gaudy accessory that isn’t even my style.” She said they are violating what the title should mean. Rousey said it’s time for her dad to make the right decision. She lay the belt on the mat and walked away. Stephanie looked shocked that maybe Rousey, an asset to WWE and WrestleMania, was indicating she was quitting or at least walking away from the title. [c]

-A video message aired from “Stone Cold” Steve Austin wishing Ric Flair a Happy Birthday.

-They replayed Rousey dropping the Raw Title belt at Stephanie’s feet. They cut backstage to Stephanie and Triple H seemingly trying to figure out what it means that Rousey left without her title belt.

-Jinder Mahal and the Singh Brothers entered the ring. Singh said he didn’t get invited, and you can’t have a celebration without him. He said as a result, he challenged anyone backstage who was invited to Ric Flair’s birthday party to a match right now, right here. “Because as far as I’m concerned, this party is over,” he said. Kurt Angle’s music played.

(3) JINDER MAHAL (w/The Singh Brothers) vs. KURT ANGLE

Jinder grounded Angle with a chinlock early. The Singh Brothers jumped onto the ring apron Angle knocked them down. Jinder tried to surprise Angle with a Khallas Kick, but Angle avoided it and tapped out Jinder with an ankle lock.

WINNER: Angle in 3:00.

-Angle fended off the Singh Brothers afterward. Then as Angle smiled and celebrated, Alexa Bliss walked onto the stage to her music for The Moment of Bliss segment. [c]

-Cole noted that Nikki Bella won an award at the Women’s Image Awards in the category of “Actress – Reality Series.” Cole said the WIAs celebrate breaking stereotypes.

-Moment of Bliss: She said “Bye, Ronda, don’t let the red carpet WWE rolled out for your hit you on you’re butt on the way out.” She said she would never disrespect the Raw Title like that. She said if WWE management is looking for someone they can rely on to replace Ronda at WrestleMania, they know where to find her. She said tonight is going to be extraordinary because she is about to be joined by Finn Balor. Balor walked out. She said it’s a shame the IC Title hides his abs. She said if he shows her his abs, she’ll show him something. Lio Rush interrupted. Graves was enraged because he apparently thought Bliss was going to get naked on live national TV.

Rush said this whole talk show is a sham. He said Lashley deserves to be IC Champion. Balor said Lashley knows where to find him. Lio said Lashley is preparing for Braun Strowman, but he’s not leaving until he gets the belt for Lashley, even if he has to pry it off of him himself. Balor asked if he is really challenging him to an IC Title match “so you can prove to Bobby that you are better than him.” Lio was shaken by Balor twisting his words. Balor said he believes Lio does deserve a chance so he accepts his challenge. Lio tried to backtrack and said he knew what Balor was trying to do. Fans cheered the idea of Balor vs. Rush tonight. Bliss asked if he’s not man enough to do the job by himself. Lio thought for a second and agreed to do it. He said his leather jacket and tighty whities don’t make him tough. When Lio said he was going to the back to prepare for his match, Bliss said he doesn’t have time to prepare because the match is now.

(Keller’s Analysis: So Balor tricks Lio into having a match with him on the spot, and Lio is gullible enough to believe that Bliss knows that the match is scheduled “right now”? And the announcers don’t even point out that Bliss has no authority to book Raw like that.)

-Rush made his ring entrance, looking sulky and gloomy. Balor’s music played and he began his journey to the ring. [c]

-They showed Darius Rucker and Charlotte Flair wishing Ric a happy birthday on Twitter. Then Maria Menounos was shown on camera petting her dog and wishing Flair a happy birthday.

-They showed Titus O’Neal being interviewed in the red carpet area. In walked Sting. He let out a yell as Cole talked about his match against Flair at the inaugural Clash of Champions.

(4) FINN BALOR vs. LIO RUSH – Intercontinental Title match

Early in the match Balor went for a dive off the ring apron, but Rush knocked him off balance and then took over. He drove him into the ringside barricade and then dove twice through the ropes at ringside. Back in the ring he went for a top rope dive, but Balor lifted his knees. Balor took over, but stood up favoring his knee. Rush kicked Balor in his knee to slow down his momentum. Balor came back, but continued to struggle on his left knee. He climbed to the to rope slowly, and Rush leaped up and knocked him off balance. Balor eventually came back again with a top rope Coup de Grace for the win. Cole called it “a gutsy win for Finn Balor.”

WINNER: Balor in 8:00 to retain the IC Title.

(Keller’s Analysis: They tried to tell the story that it was a “gutsy win” for Balor, but Rush has never been built up on Raw as anything but a twerp who talks a big game and hides behind Lashley. So Balor barely winning a competitive match and suffering a knee injury along the way doesn’t really make Balor look like a top tier competitor. Rush needed to be built up better if he was going to hold his own that long against Balor.)

-The announcers hyped Flair’s party and Strowman vs. Lashley.

-They showed Tucker Knight from Heavy Machinery walking past The Ascension backstage. The Ascension took some digs at Otis, saying he’s probably out back dumpster diving. They made fun of him for having no neck and called him a pig. Tucker said Otis very sensitive and doesn’t like being made fun of. Otis showed up and asked what was going down. Tucker quoted their jokes at his expense. Orit began losing his mind and knocked them hard into storage crates. He said that’s what they get for messing with Heavy Machinery. [c]

-They replayed Reigns announcing his cancer is in remission. They flashed media outlets headlines reporting that Reigns announced he is in remission. They said he’ll be on ABC’s “Good Morning America” tomorrow morning. Cole welcomed him back.

-Backstage Lashley chewed out Rush for getting a title shot for himself instead of him, and then he went out and lost. He asked Lio if he can trust him because he has to face Braun later. Lio assured him he can. Rush stood hanging is head like a boy who let his dad down.

(5) BOBBY LASHLEY (w/Lio Rush) vs. BRAUN STROWMAN

Lashley attacked Strowman from behind before the bell. Rush was still selling his ribs from the Coup de Grace at ringside. When Braun made a comeback, Lashley retreated to regroup with Rush. Braun ran around ringside and knocked Lashley down and then Rush down. Then Braun’s music played for some reason and the announcers immediately assumed the match would not take place and Braun began to walk to the back.

WINNER: Match never started.

(Keller’s Analysis: How incredibly stupid was that on several levels? Who decided to play the music after Braun knocked Lashley and Lio down? Why did Braun just “quit” the match and walk away? Why did the announcers act like this was all totally logically? I get WWE didn’t want to actually book a finish between these two, but there’s no worse way to handle it than that fiasco.)

-The announcers hyped Bayley vs. Nia Jax is coming up. Graves also hyped that Dean would get a rematch against Drew next.

-Caruso stood backstage and interviewed Seth. He was all smiles. He said WrestleMania is the biggest match of his entire life this year and he promised again to walk out as the Universal Champion. He said it’s almost secondary because his brother is back. He said it’s about love and celebrating. He said he assumes Reigns has an ice cold beverage waiting for him, so it’s time to burn it down, but in a different way. A limo then pulled up and out stepped Ric Flair. Huge crowd pop. [c]

-The announcers commented on highlights of the Rousey-Stephanie-Becky segment earlier.

(6) DREW MCINTYRE vs. DEAN AMBROSE – No DQ match

Dean came out first. When Drew walked out, Dean attacked him at ringside. No real crowd heat as fans still aren’t sure how they ought to feel about Dean. There was no interview from McIntyre to engender fan heat against him. Dean threw Drew around ringside. When they entered the ring, the bell rang officially.

(Keller’s Analysis: Can someone explain why the bell rang here but never did in Lashley-Braun? Is it merely because Lashley attacked Braun from behind whereas Dean meat Drew face-to-face? Once Braun made a comeback, shouldn’t that have led to the ref checking on whether he was ready for the bell to ring, like they do every other time there’s a pre-match attack by a heel?)

Drew whipped Dean with a belt. Graves said Dean wanted this to be no DQ, so he has no room to complain. Renee said the last few weeks Dean seems to be losing his mind. Drew tossed Dean around ringside and they cut to a break. [c]

Back live, Dean had Drew hurting at ringside. They showed a replay of Dean leaping of the top rope onto Drew at ringside. Drew tried to send Dean into the steps, but Dean reversed Drew. Back in the ring he scored a two count on a rollup. He then hit a neckbreaker for a two count. Dean got the belt and whipped away at Drew’s back. Drew surprised Dean with a headbutt to stop his rally. Drew lifted the ringside steps, but Dean knocked Drew down and rammed him into it. When he set up a Dirty Deeds on the steps, Elias ran out and attacked Dean from behind. It’s no DQ, as Dean asked, so this is legal. Elias threw Dean into the ring and then invited Drew to go after him. Drew hit the Claymore Kick for the win.

WINNER: Drew in 9:00.

-Afterward, Corbin and Lashley joined Elias at ringside. They leaped into the ring and joined Drew in stomping away at Dean. They took turns hitting him with signature spots. Seth’s music played and he came out with a chair in hand. Then Reigns’s music played and he walked out. No chair. They stood on the stage next to each other and then marched to the ring. Reigns and Seth cleared the ring of the heels. Reigns hit Superman Punches and Seth gave his Stomp to Elias. Reigns then gave Drew his spear. [c]

(7) BAYLEY (w/Sasha Banks) vs. NIA JAX (w/Tamina)

After some back and forth action, they cut to a break right after Jax knocked Bayley to the floor. [c]

When Sasha checked on Bayley, Jax grabbed her by her hair. Bayley kneed Jax. Tamina charged at Sasha, but Sasha moved and then Tamina hit the ringside steps. Bayley hit a top rope elbow for a three count. Cole exclaimed it was a “massive win.”

WINNER: Bayley in 8:00.

-They showed Triple H and Stephanie leading to the way toward the entrance stage for Flair’s birthday party. [c]

-Back live the stage was filled with wrestlers. Triple H and Stephanie came out and walked through a path between the gathered wrestlers. Triple H said as if Mondays aren’t hectic enough as it is, the Road to WrestleMania leads to more than usual. He mentioned what’s happened with Reigns, Ronda, and Becky. He said that all pales in comparison to the 70th Birthday Celebration of the man he considers the greatest sports entertainer of all-time. Stephanie asked what a party is without invited guests. She invited Michaels out first. Michaels walked past EC3, in case anyone was wondering if he was still around. Cole said Michaels beat Flair at WrestleMania “and effectively ended his career.” Stephanie introduced Ricky Steamboat next. Then Kurt Angle. Then Sting. Triple H then introduced Flair with his signature catch phrase about jet flying and let out a woo. But first, he threw to a video package on Flair.

Back live, they revealed a commemorative gold championship belt. Then they announced Ric, but he didn’t come out. Instead, they cut backstage to Batista revealing he beat up Ric Flair. He asked Triple H if he has his attention. Triple H ran to the back as the show ended.

(Keller’s Analysis: Somehow Triple H found a way to make Ric Flair’s 70th Birthday Party about an angle involving himself. This sets up the long-rumored Batista vs. Triple H match at WrestleMania. If you paid money or travelled specifically to see Flair celebrate, this had to be a letdown.)