Photo Source: WWE.com via Twitter
The March 26 edition of WWE Raw was a pretty stellar show as a whole that featured some important moments with WrestleMania 34 less than two weeks away.
Last night’s WWE Raw saw a wide cast of characters that will be on full display at WrestleMania 34 for the red brand. It also gave further storyline building moments heading into the showcase of the immortals.
With only one more show until WrestleMania 34, the red brand will need an impressive go-home show next week. With that being said, let’s take a look at five key takeaways from the March 26 edition of WWE Raw.
5. Anticipation Building To See Nia Jax Get Her Hands On Alexa Bliss
A women’s competitor that hasn’t gotten her big break yet in the women’s evolution is Nia Jax. However, in just under two weeks, that will all come to an end when Jax challenges for the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 34.
The Irresistible Force will challenge former friend Alexa Bliss, who has turned on Jax in recent weeks after admitting she was just using Jax and she was never her friend. And over the past couple weeks, Jax has come within inches of getting her hands on the Raw Women’s Champion, only for Bliss to narrowly avoid disaster.
That trend continued last night when Jax had a one-on-one match with Bliss’s friend Mickie James. In what turned out to be a more competitive match than initially expected, Jax ended up getting the win. But after the match was over, Bliss tried jumping her while she was down.
However, that wouldn’t turn out well and The Irresistible Force began chasing Bliss, only for the champion to get away yet again. This trend is doing a solid job of making fans want to see Jax finally get her hands on Bliss and that will be a big selling point of their pending match at the granddaddy of them all.
The Irresistible Force keeps getting closer to getting her hands on the brash Raw Women’s Champion, and it will finally take place in just under two weeks in New Orleans.
Photo Source: WWE.com via Twitter
4. Swerve Spices Up Intercontinental Championship Feud
The Intercontinental Championship will be at stake at WrestleMania 34 when The Miz defends his title against Seth Rollins and Finn Balor in a Triple Threat Match. But the buildup heading towards this match hadn’t been the most interesting until a segment last night got things going.
The buildup for this match had primarily been focused on Miz trying to turn Balor and Rollins against each other. Last night, however, saw another heelish attempt by The A-Lister to one-up his challengers at WrestleMania 34 when The Miz hosted Miz TV alongside The Miztourage and Rollins and Balor.
The Miz was particularly upset with The Miztourage and this led to a great back and forth between him and his lackeys Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel with Rollins and Balor trying to intensify things. It appeared as if The Miztourage was about to turn on The Miz, but it was all a ruse and the three began to turn their attention towards Balor and Rollins.
But The Architect and The Demon King turned the tables on Miz and his plans as they have done the past few weeks as well. This segment was very well done and legitimately seemed like the breakup of The Miztourage and The Miz. That’s the sign of a good swerve and it definitely adds a lot to this feud heading into WrestleMania 34 where the Intercontinental Championship will be on the line.
The A-Lister just can’t seem to get one over on his two challengers, but last night’s swerve was a big highlight regardless.
Photo Source: WWE.com via Twitter
3. Ronda Rousey Interacting With Current Talent Is A Pleasant Sight
The debut of Ronda Rousey at the Royal Rumble back in January was a massive signing for the WWE. And while her mixed tag team match at WrestleMania 34 should be interesting, to say the least, an interaction last night gave a preview of what Rousey will have to start doing post-WrestleMania.
Rousey will team with Kurt Angle to battle Triple H and Stephanie McMahon at WrestleMania 34, but last night her focus was turned towards one of the women’s division’s most powerful groups in Absolution. Angle and Rousey were in the ring addressing their match at WrestleMania 34 before Absolution hit the ring to address Rousey.
Paige cut a promo that eventually said Rousey should join Absolution and become the group’s fourth member. The Rowdy One declined the offer and that didn’t sit well with Absolution as Paige turned Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose on Rousey. But that wouldn’t turn out well for Absolution.
Deville and Rose quickly got a taste of Rousey and she took out both women before nearly ripping Rose’s arm out of her socket. It was a pleasant sight to see Rousey interact with current, on-roster superstars instead of just an executive in Stephanie. After all, after WrestleMania 34 is over, Rousey will have to start tangling up with more current talent.
A mixed tag team match awaits in less than two weeks, but Rousey’s interaction with Absolution last night was a sign of things to come in the months to follow.
Photo Source: WWE.com via Twitter
2. A Roman Reigns Win At WrestleMania 34 Is Setting Itself Up
Brock Lesnar has been the Universal Champion since WrestleMania 33 while turning back every one of his challenges, albeit a small amount, since becoming champion. But at WrestleMania 34, The Beast Incarnate will defend his title against Roman Reigns in a WrestleMania 31 rematch.
This match has been seemingly a given for months now, but it will officially take place in less than two weeks. The feud surrounding this match has had its positive moments over the past few weeks as well, but the past two weeks have seen Lesnar flex his muscles on Reigns and lay him out.
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Those beatings continued last night when Lesnar and his advocate Paul Heyman kicked off the show.
Towards the end of Heyman’s promo, Reigns made his way through the crowd to approach Lesnar. However, an already injured Reigns didn’t stand a chance against The Beast Incarnate in the long run.
Lesnar put another beating on Reigns and further claimed his dominance heading into WrestleMania 34.
While Lesnar has all the momentum right now, it’s just setting up the inevitable of Reigns defeating Lesnar at WrestleMania 34 and becoming the Universal Champion.
It’s already been obvious for a long time, but it’s becoming more clear each and every week.
He who laughs last laughs best, and The Big Dog will all but certainly have the last laugh on the grandest stage of them all.
Photo by WWE’s Twitter
1. John Cena Still Can’t Get The Undertaker’s Attention
It might have taken a decade too long to happen, but it appears as though the WWE universe will see John Cena vs. The Undertaker at a WrestleMania. While the match appears to be on, the storyline surrounding the match suggests that it’s anything but a given at this point.
Cena called out Taker a few weeks ago for a WrestleMania 34 match and said many critical things regarding The Deadman. Big Match John called Taker a coward, an egomaniac, and several other disparaging remarks that have seemingly humanized The Phenom. Cena’s attempts to get The Undertaker’s attention led to Kane approaching Cena last week on Raw.
After a chokeslam to Cena, Big Match John and The Big Red Machine squared off last night in a no disqualification match that main evented the show. The match was actually solid enough and saw Cena get the win after hitting Kane with an AA through a table in the ring. And throughout the match, Cena tried antagonizing The Undertaker by mocking him.
After the match, Cena cut another promo trying to get Taker to show up next week on the last Raw before WrestleMania 34. Cena can’t get his attention storyline wise and it’s doing a good job of building anticipation for Taker’s pending arrival, even if many fans are skeptical of how the match will go given Taker’s health.
Two of the longest-running talents in WWE history are on a collision course that should hit its climax at WrestleMania 34.