SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE RAW TV REPORT
FEBRUARY 26, 2024
SAN JOSE, CALIF. AT SAP CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON USA
REPORT BY MAURICIO POMAREZ, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Michael Cole, Pat McAfee
Ring Announcer: Samantha Irvin
Attendance: WrestleTix reported yesterday that 11,665 tickets were distributed; arena set up for 11,707.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
[HOUR ONE]
– The show opened with a video package showing highlights from Elimination Chamber: Perth.
– Dominik Mysterio stood in the middle of the ring to introduce Rhea Ripley. Ripley gloated about walking in and out of her country as Women’s World champion. Ripley said that she always comes up on top before being interrupted by Becky Lynch. Becky congratulated Ripley for retaining her title in front of her family and now they could see her lose at WrestleMania. Dominik tried to tell Becky to not talk to Ripley like that, only for Becky to threaten him.
– Becky said that she was the backbone of this division while Dominik has been feeding her grapes. Ripley told Becky that behind every great Man, there was an even greater woman. As Ripley and Dominik walked away, Nia Jax attacked Becky from behind. Jax crushed Becky with a pair of leg drops, but Adam Pearce and other agents showed up to save her from the Annihilation.
(Pomares’s Analysis: A solid first face-off between Becky and Rhea ahead of their title match at Mania. A couple of good lines, but they are probably saving some of their best material for the new month. Nia Jax’s assault serves as a decent time killer to eventually give Becky her win back, likely in a week or two.)
[Commercial Break]
– Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviewed Nia Jax about her assault on Becky Lynch. Jax said that Becky wouldn’t make it to Mania after she already beat her clean earlier this year.
(1) SAMI ZAYN vs. SHINSUKE NAKAMURA
Nakamura nailed Sami with a kick to the leg, only for Sami to knock him down with an arm drag. Sami countered an Irish-whip into the barricade with a moonsault, as WWE Raw went to commercials.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Nakamura blasted Sami with a couple of rising knees to the abdomen for a two count. Sami knocked Nakamura down with a clothesline, following it with a Michinoku Driver. Sami spiked Nakamura with a Tornado DDT, only for Nakamura to sweep him off his feet. Nakamura dropped Sami with a suplex into a facebuster on the apron, as WWE Raw went to an ad break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, they exchanged strikes, until Nakamura clocked Sami with a spinning kick. Sami countered Kinshasa with a Blue Thunderbomb for a nearfall. Nakamura cracked Sami with a pump knee, setting him up for a diving knee to the head for a close two count. At ringside, Nakamura hit Sami with a diving knee strike to the back of the head. As soon as Sami returned to the ring, Nakamura blasted him with a knee, but he managed to put his boot on the ropes at the last moment. Sami surprised Nakamura with two back-to-back Helluva Kicks to pick up the win.
WINNER: Sami Zayn at 14:56
(Pomares’s Analysis: A really good opening contest to finally put an end to Sami’s losing streak. It’s not quite clear yet, but they definitely have something planned for Sami at WrestleMania. Earlier this year, I assumed he would enter the world title picture, but now it feels much more likely that Sami could challenge for Gunther’s Intercontinental title instead.)
– A video package recapping the rivalry between the New Day and Imperium was shown.
– Chelsea Green made her way to the ring, ahead of her match against Raquel Rodriguez.
[Commercial Break]
– It was announced that C.M. Punk would be a playable character in WWE 2K24.
– Before her match, Chelsea Green complained about Raquel Rodriguez being added at the last moment to the last chance battle royal. Green mocked how Raquel traveled all the way to Perth, only to lose like the San Jose Sharks.
(2) RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ vs. CHELSEA GREEN
Green slapped Raquel, only for Raquel to lay her out with a lariat. Raquel launched Green away with a pair of Fallaway slams before finishing her with the Tejana Bomb.
WINNER: Raquel Rodriguez at 1:20
(Pomares’s Analysis: A decent squash for Raquel with Chelsea cutting a really fun promo beforehand. WWE clearly are very protective of Raquel, but at this point, I don’t think there are any tangible plans for her at Mania.)
– Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviewed Sami Zayn about needing to beat Shinsuke Nakamura tonight. Sami said that beating Nakamura reaffirmed that he was championship material and he would find his path to become a champion at WrestleMania. Imperium interrupted the interview, passing by and staring at Sami.
[HOUR TWO]
– A video package showing highlights from Elimination Chamber was shown.
– Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviewed Cody Rhodes about his challenge to The Rock. Cody said that he would wait for Rock’s answer on SmackDown before focusing on Grayson Waller. Cody said that Waller should be thankful for appearing on his show the last two times and giving him first Raw main event.
– Imperium made their way to the ring for their match with Gunther by their side. Gunther talked about his encounter with Jey Uso and coming very close to losing his title. Gunther said that he would have to address his future after working hard to make his title the most prestigious in this company. He asked who would be facing him at WrestleMania, making fun of fan favorites like Sami Zayn, Chad Gable and R-Truth. The Judgment Day interrupted to claim that they would be coming for more gold at Mania, including Gunther’s. Dominik got in front of Gunther to tell him that the title belongs to them. Gunther shoved Dominik away, as Priest tried to jump at Gunther, but the rest of Judgment Day held him back.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Solid execution, but I’m not really interested in this direction at all. Gunther has been one of the strongest assets of WWE television for over a year now and honestly no member of Judgment Day feels like a realistic Mania opponent. Hopefully, this was just a bit of misdirection before a stronger challenger is revealed.)
[Commercial Break]
– Backstage, Rhea Ripley confronted Dominik Mysterio about trying to confront Gunther. Dominik crossed paths with Andrade who was on his way to talk with Adam Pearce
(3) NEW DAY (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. IMPERIUM (Ludwig Kiaser & Giovanni Vinci w/Gunther) – Street Fight
They immediately started on the ramp where Woods smashed his trombone on Vinci and Kaiser’s back. Imperium stopped New Day from pulling out a table, throwing them into the ring, Woods and Kingston blasted Vinci and Kaiser with a Tope con Hilo and a dropkick through the ropes, as WWE Raw went to an ad break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Vinci dropped Woods with a back suplex on the apron while Kaiser nailed Kofi with an enzuigiri. Imperium teased pulling out a table, only to pull out a chair instead. Kaiser clobbered Woods with a chair shot to the abdomen, followed by a double dropkick with the chair. Kofi took Kaiser and Vinci out with a high crossbody, followed by a pair of bodyslams. Kofi crushed Vinci with a Boom Drop, followed by a forearm strike on Kaiser.
Vinci saved Kaiser from a suplex through a table to plant Kofi with a double suplex. Woods knocked Kaiser down with a basement dropkick before being thrown out of the ring by Vinci. Imperium clobbered Woods with a pair of kendo stick shots to the back. Kofi caught Kaiser with a leaping double stomp, only for Vinci to clock him with a lariat. Vinci pummeled Woods with a barrage of kendo stick shots and Kaiser whacked his knee with a chair shot, as WWE RAW went to a commercial break.
[Commercial Break]
[HOUR THREE]
– Drew McIntyre made his way to the ring to thank all the fans that have been praying for him to get a world title match at WrestleMania. Drew talked about being hurt and maybe missing WrestleMania, only to take a shot at CM Punk. He sat in the middle of the ring to tell Punk that he drank twice to celebrate for both of them. Drew called Seth Rollins out who immediately made his way to the ring. Rollins gloated about being in Drew’s way to become a world champion once again.
– Drew called Rollins out for getting too involved in the issues between Cody Rhodes and the Bloodline. Drew told Rollins to back off, so the Bloodline wouldn’t get involved in their match at Mania. Rollins said that he is aware of the Bloodline, but some risks are worth taking. Rollins said that taking down the Bloodline was bigger than any of them before declaring that they should let the best man win.
(Pomares’s Analysis: That was a well-delivered segment with Drew McIntyre once again killing it on the mic. My issue is with Seth Rollins who cut a solid promo, but mostly focused on the Bloodline. I’m hoping this was a one-week deal, but I would like for the world title feud to be centered around the world title.)
– A recap of Nia Jax assaulting the Elimination Chamber participants last week was shown.
– Nia Jax made her way to the ring, ahead of her match against Liv Morgan.
[Commercial Break]
(5) LIV MORGAN vs. NIA JAX
Liv immediately hit Jax with a shotgun dropkick and a jumping knee strike. Jax blocked a hurracarrana and planted Liv with a Samoan Drop, followed by a stomp to the back. Jax crushed Liv with a corner splash and a hip attack before swinging her head into the turnbuckle. Jax missed a leg drop on the apron, allowing Liv to knock her down with a suicide dive, as WWE Raw went to commercials.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Liv hit Jax with a pump kick and an enzuigiri, only for Jax to knock her down with a body block. Jax missed a senton, allowing Liv to crack her with a knee to the face. Liv hit Jax with a missile dropkick, followed by a diving Codebreaker for a two count. Jax crashed into the ring post, but was still able to counter a strike from the apron and ram her body into the ring post. Becky Lynch showed up to attack Nia Jax, ending the match in a DQ.
WINNER: Nia Jax at 8:09 via DQ
(Pomares’s Analysis: Decent match while it lasted, but I haven’t ever been a huge fan of DQ finishes. I’m assuming they might have some kind of plan for Liv Morgan since they protected her with the DQ loss.)
– Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviewed Grayson Waller and Austin Theory about tonight’s main event. Waller talked about Cody disrespecting him in his country, so he would now do the same to him.
– A graphic in memory of the recently deceased Ole Anderson was shown.
[Commercial Break]
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