Monday Night Raw TV Report for February 16th, 2015 – “Anything You Can Do…”

Introduction Segment: Welcoming

The regular Raw video plays and the pyro explodes in the Amway Arena of Orlando, Florida.

Segment #2: Arena Promo

John Cena’s music kicks off Raw, and he comes out to pump up the fans. He then recaps, via video, the brawl with Rusev from last week’s Raw. Cena is out tonight to stand up to the United States Champion. He quickly gets to the point, declaring “this Sunday at Fastlane, I am going to beat Rusev!”

Cena says he loves all the reactions, good or bad, from the fans, and all the fun he has in this business. However, you can’t be “fun” around Rusev. John talks about Rusev’s perspective, how he has lost his stride over the years; but Cena retorts that is not true. He makes it known that he will be the first to beat Rusev and win the U.S. Title.

Lana and Rusev now walk out to the stage. Lana is tired of Cena’s usual speech, and it all doesn’t matter because Rusev will “crush” Cena. The U.S. Champ agrees, telling Cena he will “crush your spirit.”

Commercials.

Segment #3: Video Promo

Dean Ambrose parodies Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” sketch, with a take on Intercontinental Champion Bad News Barrett’s avoidance of facing him at Fastlane for the I.C. Title. Ambrose predicts that will be resolved as by the end of the night, Barrett will be defending his Title at Fastlane.

Match #1: Single – Luke Harper VS. Dean Ambrose

They grapple to begin and Harper shoves Dean down. Ambrose waistlocks Luke and clamps on a standing side headlock, Harper pushes Dean to the canvas with a shoulder-block but Dean comes back. Harper regains control until Ambrose plants him with a corner-running-bulldog. He puts Harper to the floor then follows up with a suicide dive, but Luke catches him and boots him in the face.

Ads.

Harper is still dominating, wearing Ambrose down until Dean appears to bite Harper! He battles back and spins him around with a Tornado-DDT! Dean continues to fight with fists, then soars off the top turnbuckle with an elbow-clothesline! 1 – 2 – Harper kicks out! He turns Dean around with a sideslam, but Ambrose kicks out at two! Ambrose nails a stiff clothesline, then drives him into the mat with the “Dirty Deeds” DDT for the victory!

Winner via Pinfall: Dean Ambrose

Later tonight, Dusty Rhodes will hope to get things sorted out between his sons, Stardust and Goldust. As well, Triple H will respond to Sting’s acceptance of the face-to-face at Fastlane.

Commercials.

Segment #4: Office Promo

Triple H is talking with Kane when Big Show walks in. Both giants get into an argument over last week’s Smackdown and The Royal Rumble. The C.O.O. interjects and tells them both to figure out their issues and realize the important objective is to take out Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan.

Segment #5: Video Promo

Bray Wyatt is shown in a dark, smoky room. “What happened to you was such a tragedy. What happened to you still stirs a rage deep down inside of me. It makes me want to do the most horrible thing. And now the shock and fear that I once had of you has turned into nothing more than putrid, hateful, pity. It’s coming.”

Segment #6: Locker Room Promo

Stardust/Cody Rhodes and Goldust are in their locker room when their father walks in. Dusty Rhodes declares that he wants to make things right for the Rhodes Family.

Ads.

Match #2: Tag-Team – The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) (with New Day tag-team partner Big E.) VS. Gold and Stardust

Stardust and Xavier begin, with Woods controlling. Stardust tags in Goldust out of a wristlock, who comes in and takes over Woods. Stardust is back in, but quickly switches with his brother. Woods takes over, jackknife-pinning Goldust for two, then taking him down to the canvas again. Kofi gets his time now, and flies all over Goldust. He rockets off the top turnbuckle with a crossbody but Stardust breaks up the cover. Kingston comes back in and goes for the Trouble-In-Paradise spin-kick. Stardust moves and Kofi nails Goldust. Xavier punches with Starudst on the outside as Kofi registers the 1 – 2 – 3!

Winners via Pinfall: The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) (with New Day tag-team partner Big E.)

Post-match, Stardust and Goldust embrace, then Stardust yanks him back and drives his brother down with CrossRhodes!

Segment #7: Locker Room Promo

Byron Saxton interviews Roman Reigns on his time since The Royal Rumble. Roman questions Bryan’s integrity for not just accepting the loss in the Royal Rumble and basically weaseling his way into a potential title match at WrestleMania.

Daniel Bryan makes his entrance, but not for a match, as next is Reigns taking on Kane.

Commercials.

Segment #8: Video Promo

Dusty Rhodes confronts Cody on what he did to his brother. Cody only answers in Stardust-mode, proclaiming that Cody Rhodes is dead, just like his father.

Match #3: Single – Roman Reigns VS. Kane

(Note: Daniel Bryan is on commentary.) Reigns slugs and kicks away on Kane in the corner. He seems to be in firm control until Daniel gets the crowd going in a “yes” chant, which averts Reigns’ attention. Kane capitalizes, hitting Roman for a bit then a DDT. He begins to wear Roman down with a grounding chinlock. Reigns counters with a backdrop but is given an uppercut as he dived from the turnbuckle.

Kane hits a low-running-front-dropkick, but Reigns soon fires back. He leaps off the turnbuckle with a clothesline but is booted again to the outside. Kane rips off the cover to the announce table and attempts to chokeslam Reigns through it. Roman hops out of it and spears “The Big Red Machine,” then rolls back into the ring and gets the W!

Winner via Count-Out: Roman Reigns

Post-match, Bryan continues to get the bigger crowd reaction and pull the rug from under Reigns.

Ads.

Segment #9: Backstage Promo

Rene Young interviews Daniel Bryan, who puts over Roman as an “awesome athlete.” However, Bryan says that Reigns needs to be “mentally tough,” and get over the “yes” calls.

Segment #10: Video Promo

Bray Wyatt appears on screen again. “His hands may have created this world, but mine will destroy it. (Holding a mallet.) Limbo is no place for a soul like yours. I’m waiting for you.”

Segment #11: Locker Room Promo

Byron is awaiting an interview with Paige, but The Bellas walk out instead. They have Paige’s ring attire in their hands, and insist that she will be wrestling next, naked.

Paige runs out, in only a towel, and asks Cameron for her clothes. Cameron denies, then Paige sees The Rosebuds. She grabs one of them and hurries into the locker room.

Commercials.

Match #4: Single – Summer Rae VS. Paige

Paige finally makes her entrance, in a fairy costume. She is just as furious though, all over Summer to start out. Summer reverses an Irish Whip into an almost roll-up, then nails a spin-kick. She then ties Paige’s arms up in a behind-the-back scissor lock. Summer leg-drops Paige once, but misses a round two. Paige gives her three short-arm clotheslines and a stiff kick, then lockers Rae in the Paige Tap-Out, forcing her to give-up.

Winner via Submission: Paige

Post-match, Paige informs The Bellas that she doesn’t “need an outfit to look good,” but insinuates that the Divas Championship will be the perfect thing to wear instead.

Ads.

Match #5: Single – “Mr. Money In The Bank” Seth Rollins (with J & J Security [Jamie Noble and Joey Mercury] ) VS. “The Show-Off” Dolph Ziggler

Prior to this contest, Rollins cuts a promo continuing to state that he is the future of the WWE, which is appropriate because of it being President’s Day in the United States. Seth talks about wanting to cash in the Money In The Bank contract soon, and begins to rip on Dolph Ziggler. “The Show-Off” interrupts, to a huge ovation. He takes a few shots at the entire Authority, then puts himself over as someone who does “what it means to be ‘the best,’” as well as taking out The Authority at Survivor Series. Ziggler immediately punches away at Rollins, who quickly escapes to the outside.

Commercials.

Rollins is now in control, grappling Dolph with a grounding rear chinlock. J & J try to get involved on the outside, but the referee catches them and orders them to the back. In the ring, Ziggler small-packages Seth for two. Rollins misses a run and eats the post shoulder-first. Dolph gets fired up, splashing and elbow-dropping Rollins. He hits a bunch of signature moves, but Rollins does not stay down.

“Mr. Money In The Bank” returns the favor with a Pele-Kick for a near-fall! Rollins ground-and-pounds on Dolph, then climbs the turnbuckle. Ziggler meets him up there, but is shoved off quickly. Rollins follows with a jump, but Dolph moves. He goes for the Fameasseer, but it is countered. Dolph counters another move, and hits the Zig-Zag. He covers, but J & J run in again and break up the pin.

Winner via Disqualification: “The Show-Off” Dolph Ziggler

Post-match, Ziggler is beaten down by Rollins, Mercury, and Noble until Erik Rowan and Ryback run out to make the save.

Ads.

Segment #12: Arena Promo

Video recalls everything that has happened with Sting since he has arrived, as Triple H makes his entrance. “The Game” talks about the notions that he is “afraid of Sting.” Triple H vehemently denies it, instead promoting that Sting will be going against “The Game,” “The Cerebral Assassin…” Before he goes any further, a man who knows both him and Sting extremely well walks out. “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair returns and struts down the aisle!

He is here to give HHH advice on facing Sting, which “The Game” respectfully doesn’t want any of. HHH does put Sting over as “The Franchise” and “The Icon” of WCW, and respects him for staying right until the bitter end of that company. However, if Sting had chosen to come to WWE a lot earlier, Triple H says he would’ve “run him out.” He states the reason of doing this because “Sting’s legacy was built on Ric Flair’s reputation.” Ric tells Triple H that he’s “not acting like ‘The Cerebral Assassin.’” HHH thinks that Sting is coming to take all away that Triple H has built, but Flair suggests that those are the mind-games Sting plays and they’re working. He says that HHH doesn’t have the right mindset anymore for competition because he’s not wrestling every night, and that instead, he is running the WWE. “Don’t let me see you sitting on your ass again, okay, like you were last Monday. Fair enough?” Triple H shoves his mentor to the mat, then yells at him that “if someone stands between me and this company, I am kicking their ass. At Fastlane, I promise you, whether he goes on his own, or whether I beat it out of him, Sting will never show his face here again,” Triple H concludes and storms off.

Commercials.

Match #6: Tag-Team – Darren Young and ??? VS. The Ascension (Conor and Viktor)

The Ascension just decimate Young and his partner, until Titus O’Neil runs out and makes the save. He helps out his former partner, Darren, run off Viktor and Conor.

Winner: No Contest due to No Official Start

Segment #13: Backstage Promo

The Miz is trying to convince Intercontinental Champion Bad News Barrett to teach Damien Mizdow a lesson. If Barrett helps out, then Miz will do something about the pending contract for Fastlane that Dean Ambrose has.

Ads.

Match #7: Single – Damien Mizdow (with The Miz) VS. Intercontinental Champion Bad News Barrett (Non-Title)

Every time Damien would gain an advantage, Miz would ring a bell on the outside, and order him to fix something. This led to Mizdow falling to Barrett after a Bullhammer-Elbow shot!

Winner via Pinfall: Intercontinental Champion Bad News Barrett

Post-match, Dean Ambrose charges in and ties up Barrett against the post. He forces Bad News to sign the contract, and they will be wrestling this Sunday at Fastlane for the Intercontinental Championship.

Segment #14: Arena Promo

For a third time, Bray Wyatt is on screen. “What shakes the heart of a man who can never truly die? I believe I found the answer. The answer lives in me. The answer is the creature that lives behind my eyes. The answer is ‘Bray Wyatt.’ there’s nowhere left to go. The angle with the burnt wings cometh. Find me, FIND ME! Or I’ll find you.” He finishes hammering a nail into an object.

Commercials.

Match #8: Six-Person Tag-Team – Cesaro, Tyson Kidd, and Natalya VS. Tag-Team Champions The Usos (Jimmy and Jey) and Naomi (Non-Title)

Naomi and Natalya reverse pin combos, until Naomi gets the better with a sunset-flip!

Winners via Pinfall: Tag-Team Champions The Usos (Jimmy and Jey) and Naomi

Ads.

Match #9: Single – The Big Show VS. Daniel Bryan

(Note: Roman is just sitting at ringside.) This match starts out evenly until Show takes dominance for a while. Bryan eventually counters and wears down Show with a sleeper. During this, Roman decides to sign autographs for the fans. This makes Bryan angry, so he starts to kick away until Big catches him.

Commercials.

Show is back in control, dominating for a bit. Bryan manages a suicide dive to the outside, but Show counters. He tries to run Bryan into the post, but Daniel slips out and shoves him into the post. Show turns a throw around and hurls Daniel into Reigns, then Spears Reigns as Bryan was getting in Roman’s face. In the ring, Bryan manages to trap show in the Yes Lock Crossface, but Show crawls to the ropes for the break. Reigns suddenly interrupts and Superman Punches Show, causing another DQ.

Winner via Disqualification: The Big Show

Post-match, Bryan and Roman face-off. This ensues into a big melee and brawl around the arena that takes numerous referees and agents to split apart. Bryan even wails Reigns with a chair! To close the show, Daniel is on top of the announce table and a bloody-lower-face Roman is by the ring.

End Of Raw.

Reporter’s Rumblings – By Moe Tapp

This was a jam-packed Raw, which was both good and bad. Onto the analysis, then my predictions for Fastlane.

Excellence: promos from Lana/Rusev/Cena, Paige, Ziggler and Rollins, Triple H/Flair, Stardust, Bray Wyatt, and Roman Reigns. Matches between Harper/Ambrose, Paige/Summer, Dolph/Seth, Six-Person Tag, and Show/Bryan.

Loved the two big brawls, especially to open and close Raw. Both made their respective matches feel big-time and display the passion that the wrestlers have.

Great surprise for Ric Flair’s appearance and awesome interaction between the two. I wonder if Flair will be involved in Fastlane too?

I’m intrigued for the possible return of the Primetime Players and think they are playing out The Miz/Damien story beautifully.

Bogus: too many promos; I think they easily could’ve cut a couple of them out/combined a few, such as Dean Ambrose’s SNL parody – have that just before his match, leaving out The Miz/Barrett’s backstage talk and Rollins/Ziggler’s interaction. (As good as they are, they didn’t say anything new, so it was a dud for me.)

I’m hoping Natalya to turn heel at Fastlane and finally be alongside her husband. This would be a much-needed fresh start for her and make her interesting again (other than her excellent wrestling skills).

I’m not thrilled for another dissention between Show and Kane, and Show probably doing the face-turn again. Both need to pick a side and stay on it for longer than 6 months. (At least Kane has done that, but Show keeps flip-flopping, which is really annoying!)

Fastlane predictions: Paige wins the Divas Championship back to setup her VS. A.J. Lee at WrestleMania; Rusev/Cena ends in no-decision, also setting up another WrestleMania match; Kidd/Cesaro win Tag-Titles after Natalya goes with Tyson; Barrett keeps his I.C. Title, somehow; Reigns to defeat Bryan (I’m really hoping this happens, as Reigns got gipped due to Philadelphia)

This was a pretty great Raw for the “go-home” show; here’s hoping next week’s will be just as great as then it is straight to ‘Mania! Until next week, as always, Be Excellent Wrestling-Online Readers and Wrestling Fans!