WWE Raw: Results, Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for Feb. 19

Credit: WWE.com

Raw begins with a moment of silence for the victims of the Parkland, Florida shooting.

Gauntlet Match (Part One, First Hour)

Grade: A+

We kick things off with the Gauntlet Match, and who else makes the first entrance but Roman Reigns? He is announced as the first man in the Gauntlet Match and is asked by Charly Caruso if he feels concerned that he’s up first with the Elimination Chamber coming up. Reigns predictably said he isn’t concerned, put over his opponents, and said he would have beaten Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 31.

So you know who came out next? Seth Rollins. The guy who prevented Reigns from defeating Lesnar at ‘Mania 31.

The match we got between Rollins and Reigns was basically dream match. It was a lot of brutal moves, trash-talking within holds, and Roman cosplaying as a heel. There were some nice mark-out moments, including Roman no-selling a Turnbuckle Powerbomb, merely bouncing off to smash Seth with a Superman Punch.

The two traded some more big moves, and Reigns got Rollins with a vicious Superman Punch. Reigns started to psych himself up after Rollins kicked out at the last second.

Then Rollins countered a spear and tried to hit his “Stomp”. But Reigns scouted it, turning it into a roll-up. Seth kicked out and sneakily hit Roman with a roll-up of his own, and he pinned Roman in shocking fashion.

Roman Reigns Is Eliminated

Up next for Rollins? John Cena.

And Cena starts jumping around like a goof during his entrance…Seth is having none of it. He just lays out Cena and gets a quick two-count off of it. Rollins clearly isn’t playing around.

Cena is still acting really weird. He spent most of the match putting Rollins in restholds, and the guy even tried to win by countout. John Cena. Wanted to win by countout. What the heck is going on out here?

He even started yelling “Stay down!” at Rollins. Cena went so far as to ask the ref to check on Rollins, telling “The Architect” that he should give up and quit with so many wrestlers in the locker room waiting to enter.

Mad props to Seth for all of the energy he put into this match with Cena, because he had me on the edge of my seat throughout. I still cannot believe he kicked out of the Attitude Adjustment after all the punishment he absorbed.

It got better. Cena lifted Rollins up near the top rope for an Avalanche AA, and not only did Rollins counter, but he picked up Cena off the ground. He picked up Cena off the ground, and he hit him with an AA. Of course, Cena kicked out, but, man, for a second there I truly believed Rollins had it.

And he did have it. Rollins hit Cena with “The Stomp”, and all I could do was yell “COVER HIM!” at the top of my lungs. #TheMan went for the cover and picked up the W.

That’s how you put a guy over.

John Cena Is Eliminated, Elias Enters