This week’s episode of WWE Raw emanates from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina! Elimination Chamber qualifiers continues! AJ Styles battles Dominik Mysterio. Dakota Kai and Ivy Nile face off for a Women’s Intercontinental Championship match, and more.
We break it all down in this week’s WWE Raw recap!
We Hear From Sami Zayn
Sami Zayn says no one else in the business has been tied together like him and Kevin Owens. Zayn says in a story like that there’s going to be a lot of forgiving and forgetting, but this time, there is no forgiving and forgetting. Zayn says Owens’ problem is that he didn’t get the job done. Zayn says he will be in Toronto for Elimination Chamber, just like Owens. Raw General Manager Adam Pearce comes out and reveals that Zayn isn’t medically cleared to compete for a match at Chamber.
Zayn says he is not leaving the ring until Pearce gives him a yes. Pearce says he cannot sanction this match nor stop Owens. Pearce says Elimination Chamber could be the very last match of Zayn’s career. Zayn reiterates that he wants the match with Owens. Pearce grants Zayn an unsanctioned match with Owens.
Backstage, Finn Balor says by the end of the night, The Judgment Day will be back in business. He then reiterates to Dominik Mysterio that they will not be bringing in any new members.
AJ Styles vs. Dominik Mysterio
Dominik and Styles lock up. Styles chops Dominik in the corner, then delivers a backbreaker. Dominik fires off kicks. Styles responds with a dropkick and a running knee. Styles looks for a Phenomenal Forearm, but Carlito pulls him off the apron as Dominik distracts the referee. Dominik leaps onto Styles.
Back from break, Styles flips Dominik upside down with a clothesline, then follows up with a sliding forearm. Styles lays out Dominik with a neckbreaker. Carlito distracts Styles. Dominik rolls up Styles for a two count. Styles hits a Styles Clash for the win.
Winner: AJ Styles
After the match, Bron Breakker sneaks behind, attempting to spear Styles. Styles sidesteps, causing Breakker to hit Dominik instead. Styles rocks Breakker with a Pele Kick, then dumps him to the outside. Breakker retrieves his Intercontinental Championship and leaves.
Backstage, Ivy Nile and Dakota Kai trade words ahead of their number one contender’s match.
Women’s IC Title Number #1 Contender: Dakota Kai vs. Ivy Nile
Kai takes down Nile with a pair of arm drags. Nile kicks Kai in the back of her leg, then slams her leg against the apron. Nile stomps away at Kai in the ring. Nile covers Kai for a two count. Kai fires off forearm strikes, then a dropkick. She follows up with two big boots in the corner. Kai hits the Kai-ropractor. Nile clocks Kai. The two meet up top, with Nile slamming Kai to the mat. Nile applies an ankle lock. Kai reaches the bottom rope to break it.
Nile and Kai trade strikes. Kai delivers a pump kick. Nile lays her out with a spinning slam. Kai connects with a Scorpion Kick. Kai covers Nile for a two count. Nile applies the Ankle Lock again. Kai sends her flying into the ropes, then stomps her on the back of the neck. Kai rocks Nile with a GTK.
Winner: Dakota Kai
We Hear From Gunther
World Heavyweight Champion Gunther says he doesn’t blame the people for not appreciating him because it’s like him performing Shakespeare for a dog. Gunther says he’s sick of sharing the ring with people who can’t even lace his boots. Gunther says he outclasses Jey Uso in every aspect of this sport. Gunther says Jey Uso’s blood will be on the fans’ hands after WrestleMania.
Gunther turns to commentators Pat McAfee and Michael Cole. He asks them if they believe Uso can beat him at WrestleMania. McAfee says he hopes Uso can beat him. Gunther takes a step toward McAfee. Jey Uso’s music hits. He runs into the ring and fires off strikes on Gunther. Security briefly separate them, but Uso jumps right back at Gunther. Gunther rolls to the outside and retreats up the ramp.
Backstage, Liv Morgan says Raquel Rodriguez will defeat Roxanne Perez tonight. Cathy Kelley tries to get them to address their recent appearance in a backstage video around the attack of Jade Cargill. Morgan and Raquel skirt around the question.
Penta vs. Pete Dunne
Penta and Dunne exchange strikes. Dunne rocks Penta with a dropkick. Dunne takes off Penta’s glove, then stomps on his elbow. Dunne elbows and chops Penta in the corner. Penta chops Dunne on the apron. Dunne again targets Penta’s hands, then plants him on the apron. Ludwig Kaiser makes his way out to ringside.
Back from break, Penta delivers a spinning slam for a near fall. Kaiser continues to look on. Penta kicks Dunne in the face. Dunne hits a sitout powerbomb. He follows up with a German suplex and a step-up enziguri. Penta rocks Dunne with a Mexican Destroyer. Dunne rolls up Penta for a two count. Dunne tells Kaiser to back off. Penta sends Dunne crashing into Kaiser, then finishes off Dunne with a Penta Driver.
Winner: Penta
After the match, Dunne and Kaider trade strikes. Penta takes them both out with a suicide dive.
Backstage, Jey Uso says he feels underestimated. Uso says his peers are doubting him, but he points out that he is the Royal Rumble winner. Uso vows to shock the world again by dethroning Gunther at WrestleMania.
Women’s Elimination Chamber Qualifier: Roxanne Perez vs. Raquel Rodriguez (w/ Liv Morgan)
Raquel drops Perez onto the mat. Perez slaps her in response. Raquel takes her down with a clothesline, then elbows her in the corner. Perez lands a dropkick. She looks for a dive, but Raquel catches her and launches her into the ring post. Back in the ring, Raquel slams her then sends her crashing into the corner. Raquel spins Perez around.
Perez sends Raquel into the corner with a hurricanrana. Perez hits Raquel’s knee, then connects with a running elbow. Raquel catches her on the second one. Perez rolls up Raquel for a two count. She then locks in a sleeper hold. Raquel rams her into the corner to break it. Raquel lands a fallaway slam and spinning elbow. Perez kicks out of the subsequent pin attempt. Raquel charges toward Perez, but she sidesteps. Raquel collides with the ring post. Perez then hits two dives on Raquel. Perez rocks Raquel with a DDT and a springboard moonsault. Raquel connects with a big boot.
Biance Belair marches down to the ring to confront Liv Morgan. Naomi appears as well. They double team Morgan on the outside. Meanwhile, Perez hits Pop Rox on Raquel for the win.
Winner: Roxanne Perez
After the match, Naomi and Belair prepare to lay out Morgan again until Raquel pulls her to the outside.
Backstage, Seth Rollins looks ahead to his Elimination Chamber qualifying match against Finn Balor. Karrion Kross enters the frame and calls Sami Zayn, Seth Rollins, and Jey Uso delusional. Kross says Zayn knows there’s always time to turn things around though.
We Hear From New Day
Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods arrive to a sea of boos. Kingston and Woods try to speak, but the boos drown them out. Woods says the crowd is mad that they told the truth about Big E and Rey Mysterio. Woods says the crowd has gone insane. Kingston says he has more title wins than Rey and unlike Rey, he never left WWE. Woods says Rey disrespected them and forced their hand last week. Kingston says Rey was crying. He also says the crowd should thank them for having mercy on Rey. Woods says they should be down on their knees thanking the New Day.
Dragon Lee, Joaquin Wilde, and Cruz Del Toro confront The New Day. Lee says what they did is unforgiveable. He follows up with “New Day sucks” before the LWO triple team Woods and Kingston. Lee looks to dive on them, but as he does, Kingston and Woods run up the ramp.
Backstage, Naomi and Bianca Belair says Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez will be counting their days. They then predict themselves as the final two in the Women’s Elimination Chamber.
Men’s Elimination Chamber Qualifier: Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor
Balor attacks Rollins. The referee calls for the bell, with Balor going after Rollins once again. Balor counters a Pedigree with a Pedigree of his own. Rollins takes down Balor with a kick, then a backbreaker. Rollins dives onto Balor through the ropes. He follows up with a springboard knee. He looks for a stomp, but Balor counters with a slingblade. Rollins bounces back with a jumping knee. Rollins sweeps Balor off his feet. Balor kicks Rollins in the midsection, then drives him into the ring apron. Balor stomps on Rollins’ back. Rollins sweeps Balor off his feet again, then sends him crashing onto the announce table. Rollins looks to stomp Balor on the steep steps. Balor sees it coming and pushes Rollins into the ring post.
Back from break, Rollins slams Balor. Balor rolls him up for a two count, then rains down with right hands. Balor and Rollins trade strikes. Rollins spikes him with a DDT, then lands a knee. Rollins follows up with a springboard moonsault for a near fall. Rollins launches Balor into the turnbuckle. Balor counters a frog splash into a roll-up for a near fall. Rollins and Balor trade more strikes. Balor hits a sling blade.
Rollins locks in a Sharpshooter. Rollins releases it and hits a Pedigree for a near fall. Rollins tells the referee to “suck it.” Balor connects with another kick to Rollins’ midsection. Rollins looks for a superplex, but Balor brushes him off and hits a Coup De Grace. Rollins kicks out. Balor cinches in a crossface. He rolls through it and lands a stomp for the win.
Winner: Seth Rollins