Monday Night Raw TV Report for February 15th, 2016 – “Speeding Up A Decision”

Introduction Segment: Video Promo and Arena Promo

A recap of last week’s turmoil between Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, and Brock Lesnar is shown; we go live to the arena in Anaheim, California! Michael Cole greets us and Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose walks out.

“This Sunday at Fastlane, I am in the fight for my life. They’re calling it ‘Brother versus Brother versus Beast.’” However, Ambrose wants to start tonight and challenges Brock Lesnar to take him on. Instead, he gets Principal Owner Stephanie McMahon, who struts out gleefully.

McMahon takes joy in the fact that Dean needed help from his friend Roman Reigns to beat up Lesnar. She reminds him of what is on the line at Fastlane, and messes with him more by booking him in a “Fatal 5-Way” for the Intercontinental Title; she then puts another stipulation that if Roman interferes, Ambrose will be taken out of the #1 Contender’s Triple-Threat at Fastlane. She then announces that this match starts right now!

Kevin Owens makes his entrance, followed by Stardust, Tyler Breeze, and Dolph Ziggler.

Commercials.

Match #1: Fatal-5-Way for the Intercontinental Championship – Dean Ambrose (Champion) VS. Kevin Owens (Challenger) VS. Stardust (Challenger) VS. Tyler Breeze (Challenger) VS. Dolph Ziggler

All brawl with each other to start, then Dolph and Owens fight on the outside while Breeze, Ambrose, and Stardust tussle in the ring. Dean tosses Tyler to the floor, then punches Stardust in the corner a bit later and elbows him. He scoop-slams him and climbs the turnbuckle, rocketing off with a missile dropkick. Kevin hits Ambrose then punches him in the head and chops in the corner.

“The Lunatic Fringe” hammers back with punches but Owens turns them into mudhole-stomps in the corner. He runs at Dean, but the I.C. Champ pulls the ropes down, which sends Kevin tumbling. Dean lines up Kevin, but turns into a dropkick from Dolph as he went for a dive. Everyone switches around moves and end up sprawled around the ring.

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We continue to see everyone go after each other until Owens is the only one standing. He gives three Cannon-Ball runs in the corners, but Breeze stops the fourth with a kick. He hits his Beauty Shot kick, but the other three break up the pin.

Dean hurls Breeze to the floor, then he drives Stardust with the Dirty Deeds DDT while Dolph drops him with the Zigzag! Those three are out while Kevin plants Tyler with the Pop-Up Powerbomb and covers for the victory!

Winner and NEW Intercontinental Champion: Kevin Owens

Later tonight, Brie Bella will be interviewed regarding her husband Daniel Bryan’s retirement; and The Miz will take on A.J. Styles!

Commercials.

Segment #2: Backstage Promo

Rene Young asks Ambrose about what just happened; he is not surprised by it because of The Authority, but now he is super-energized to win at the Pay-Per-View/Network show Sunday and meet WWE World Heavyweight Champion/C.O.O. Triple H at WrestleMania

Segment #3: Backstage Promo

The commentators begin to review Ambrose’s comments when we go back to Young who is now with new Intercontinental Champion Kevin Owens; he throws it in Rene’s face about being the new champion. Dolph walks up and challenges him for the title at Fastlane, but Kevin denies.

Segment #4: Arena Promo

Tag-Team Champions The New Day dance out to the ring. During this, a reminder of their musical showdown with Edge and Christian from last September is shown, and it is made known that Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston, and Big E. will be guests on “The Cutting Edge Peep Show” this Sunday at Fastlane!

The trio talk about their upcoming appearance with the Canadian “brothers,” and move on to Mark Henry, who walked out on them last week.

“The World’s Strongest Man” walks out and is scheduled to take on Big E, next!

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Match #2: Single – Tag-Team Champion Big E. VS. Mark Henry

They lockup but Big soon takes control of this bout for a while he splashes Henry a couple times but only gets two. He tries an Abdominal Stretch, but “The World’s Strongest Man” works his way out of it and makes a comeback. He boots E, but drops out of a Big Ending. He lands awkwardly, and Big takes the 1 – 2 – 3.

Winner via Pinfall: Tag-Team Champion/New Day Member Big E. (with Tag-Team Champions/New Day partners Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods)

After the break, Brie will be asked questions.

Commercials.

Segment #5: Arena Promo

Byron Saxton questions Brie about how her husband, Daniel Bryan, is after he had to retire (for real) last week. She doesn’t get too far when her opponent, Divas champion Charlotte and her father Ric Flair, interrupt. Charlotte wonders why Brie is not at home, tending to her husband and sister. Brie disputes this, and they fight, with Brie getting the best of Charlotte with “Yes” Kicks to the chest. Charlotte and Flair hightail to the ramp.

Chris Jericho is out for commentary as up next, The Miz and A.J. will wrestle!

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Match #3: Single – The Miz VS. A.J. Styles

The Miz stomps on Styles aggressively before the bell rings, but A.J. fights back when the contest officially starts. Miz punishes A.J. more against the middle rope, then wears him down in a rear chinlock. Styles works out of a surfboard-stretch and rolls up Miz for two; he reverses Miz’s back/neckbreaker combo into a backslide for another near-fall. Miz puts A.J. to the outside then argues with Jericho; this allows Styles to leap off the steps with a forearm!

Commercials.

Miz is back in control until A.J. reverses a Skull-Krushing Finale into a victory-roll. Styles elbows/chops/kicks Miz, then delivers a Pele Kick for a close one! He climbs the turnbuckle but is tripped up. They trade a couple moves, then A.J. springboards from the top rope with a forearm! Miz hits at Styles in the corner, but A.J. counters into the Calf-Crusher, forcing Miz to give!

Winner via Submission: A.J. Styles

Post-match, Chris starts to talk but Styles cuts him off; he insinuates that Jericho is still angered over losing to “The Phenomenal One” in their first match. Styles wants to wrestle him again at Fastlane, but “Y2J” does not accept right away; he will tell A.J. his decision this week on Smackdown!

The Dudley Boyz will be out next to talk about their turn last week.

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Segment #6: Arena Promo

The Dudley Boyz walk to the apron and start to pull a table, but decide not to. Bubba is on the mike first and teases the crowd about the tables, then invites The Uso brothers to join them. Jey and Jimmy do not, as with footage that Ray points to on the Titantron, they were put through a table last week on Raw.

D-Von iterates that they are the “baddest tag-team on the planet,” and are a rejuvenated team, ready to take action. Ray finishes with what their “legacy” will be about, which is being the WWE World Tag-Team Champions nine times, not by putting many people through tables.

Paige is walking backstage and will be back in action next.

Commercials.

Match #4: Single – Summer Rae VS. Paige

Summer gets the better for a bit, but Paige knees against the ropes. Summer regains and kicks Paige in the face, then stretches her. Paige reverses and kicks three times. She runs at Summer in the corner with a knee, then hits another one in the middle of the ring. She signals for the P.T.O. but Rae reverses into a pin combo to take this!

Winner via Pinfall: Summer Rae

Paul Heyman is walking through backstage; he is on his way.

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Segment #7: Arena Promo

Paul Heyman is in the ring and he doesn’t want to go on too long, and instead wants Roman Reigns to join him. The third man to the Triple-Threat obliges and stares at Heyman while he goes on a diatribe

Paul E. compares Reigns’ and Ambrose’s situation to family and friendship. He tells Roman that he has made a decision between his real family and his friendship with Ambrose. His family will get him the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but his friendship will allow Dean to take the opportunity and Roman to be alone. “That’s the price you must pay, that’s the mindset you sir must have, that’s the sacrifice you have to make, that’s the life we live for the championship you want.”

Roman replies with respect, since Heyman told it to him straight-up. Reigns reminds Paul that “your boy though, Brock Lesnar, I’ve never beaten him. But I have beaten his ass. And you saw it first-hand. And I’m gonna allow you to do the same thing this Sunday at Fastlane.”

Roman agrees with Paul that all is up for grabs, and declares that he will move on to WrestleMania and dethrone Triple H and become a three-time WWE World Heavyweight Championship. “And now I know that you believe that!”

They shake hands, then suddenly The Dudleyz attack Roman until Dean Ambrose charges out and makes the save. Roman and Dean hug, then Ambrose pulls Reigns in and almost gives him a Dirty Deeds DDT. Reigns shoves off and looks at Dean with surprise. “The Lunatic Fringe” points to Reigns then the WrestleMania sign; Roman smiles and they fist-pump in respect.

Commercials.

Match #5: Single – Zack Ryder VS. Heath Slater (with Social Outcast members Curtis Axel, Adam Rose, and Bo Dallas)

After a bit of back-and-forth, Slater gets this one courtesy of help from Bo and a kick!

Winner via Pinfall: Heath Slater

Segment #8: Video Promo

R-Truth is at a restaurant with a lady when Goldust walks up in a waiter’s outfit. More sexual innuendos, this time with a champagne bottle, about Goldust being Truth’s “partner” are implied.

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Match #6: Six-Man Tag-Team – The Lucha Dragons (Sin Cara and United States Champion Kalisto) VS. The League of Nations (Rusev, Sheamus, and Alberto Del Rio) (with League of Nations member Wade Barrett)

(Note: During entrances, it is announced that the kick-off show for Fastlane will feature Alberto Del Rio meeting Kalisto for the United States Championship.)

This breaks down early, with Neville, Kalisto, and Cara soaring onto The League from the ring to the floor!

Commercials.

The League are dominating until Kalisto reverses a suplex into a DDT on Sheamus! He gets the hot-tag to Sin, who kicks Alberto then dives off the top turnbuckle with a crossbody. He chops and kicks away at Del Rio, then springboards off the middle rope with a moonsault.

Everyone else takes each other out, then Cara dives through the ropes on to Alberto into the barrier. As Sin gets back in the ring, Del Rio hits an enziguri, then he is put to the canvas with Alberto’s diving stomp from the top turnbuckle!

Winners via Pinfall: The League of Nations

Segment #9: Video Promo

Hall of Famer and World Heavyweight Champion Booker T.’s career is looked at in celebration of Black History Month.

Segment #10: Video Promo

Footage from a confrontation between Becky Lynch and Team B.A.D. in the parking lot is shown.

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Segment #11; Backstage Promo

Rene Young asks Alberto Del Rio about Kalisto and their match at Fastlane; Del Rio wants to crush him and challenges Kalisto to put his championship on the line in a Two-Out-Of-Three Falls contest.

Match #7: Single – Becky Lynch VS. Naomi (with Team B.A.D. partner Tamina)

Naomi delivers some impressive kicks but Becky catches her in the Disarmer!

Winner via Submission: Becky Lynch

Post-match, Team B.A.D. attack Becky and Sasha Banks prances out. She circles the ring, but waits until Lynch is laid-out with a Samoan Drop by Tamina. Banks gets in the ring and stands by Becky while mouthing-off with B.A.D.

Commercials.

Segment #12: Arena Promo

The Wyatt Family are out and all four predict what will happen in the future for WWE when they “rule.”

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Match #8: Single – Braun Strowman (with Wyatt Family members Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, and Erik Rowan) VS. The Big Show

The two big men go back-and-forth until the rest of the Family interferes, causing a DQ.

Winner via Disqualification: The Big Show

Bray, Erik, Luke, and Harper all assault Show until Ryback marches down. He helps a little but is also quickly attacked. Pyro goes off from the four ring posts and Kane appears, climbing from under the ring! The seven brawl, and Kane helps clear the ring of the Wyatts.

Ryback, Show, and Kane stand in the ring while The Family walks to the back to close the show.

End of Raw.

Reporter’s Rumblings

This was an ok Raw for a “go-home” show before the Pay-Per-View/Network show on Sunday. It definitely built some strong intrigue for some matches/feuds, but others felt ‘normal/going-through-motions.”

Excellence: promos by Ambrose, Brie/Charlotte, The Dudleyz, Heyman/Reigns, and The Wyatts. The best match of the night was the Fatal-5-Way.

Liked the “tease” between Dean and Reigns, and Sasha not helping Becky. Naomi continues to amp up and those rapid bicycle kicks were cool! Enjoying the rivalry between Jericho and Styles, as it feels very old-school with each man just wanting to get the better of the other, plain and simple.

Loving Bubba and D-Von’s turn; they too have amped it up and both last week’s Smackdown! and tonight’s Raw promos were superb in their rawness.

Bogus: other than the Fatal-5-Way, all other matches felt “phone-in” or rushed. I wasn’t too excited by any of them, and felt the show dragged on.

Why did Paige lose to Summer? What was the point of that match?

Unfortunately, A.J. versus Miz was a lot better on Smackdown! eleven days ago. This one I didn’t feel was as even, since The Miz dominated for the most-part, and I feel that kind of hurt Styles.

I understand because of the destruction of the ring they had to save The Wyatts/”Titans” segment for last, but Kane could’ve made his return walking down the ramp, and this could’ve been thrown in the middle of the show. It was backwards, as the segment with Heyman/Roman/Dudleyz/Ambrose should’ve finished Raw.

Until Smackdown!, Be Excellent Wrestling-Online Fans!