WWE Raw: Braun Strowman lays out Drew McIntyre and Bobby Lashley

With WrestleMania Backlash one week away, there was still a lot to work out heading into the next WWE Network special. Bobby Lashley is set to defend his WWE Championship, but he must get through another week facing down two challengers. The same goes with Rhea Ripley and her WWE Raw women’s title. That and more occurred on another edition of WWE Monday Night Raw.

The night started out immediately with Charlotte Flair heading to the ring for a six-woman tag team match. Her partners in the affair were WWE Women’s tag team champions, Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler. They faced off against the team of Mandy Rose, Dana Brooke, and Asuka.

Rose and Jax started off and Rose was moving well until Jax smashed her into the corner, getting the tag to Baszler to continue the assault. Baszler was rolling until Asuka was tagged in, knocking Baszler from the ring. The six women would get face off in the ring until Alexa Bliss showed up with Lily to interrupt the match for a moment.

Back to the action and Flair continued to dominate Rose, typing her up in a figure-four in the middle of the ring. Baszler and Jax took turns keeping Rose on their side of the ring, but she continued to fight out of pinfall attempts.

Brooke would make the hot tag and rolled against Baszler initially until taking a nice backbreaker. However, Baszler suddenly could not walk right and that opened the door for Asuka to get the tag and laid out Baszler with a shining wizard, pinning Baszler for the win.

Asuka, Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose defeat Charlotte Flair, Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler via pinfall

Jinder Mahal was out for singles action with Veer and Shanky by his side for a match with Jeff Hardy.

Hardy jumped on Mahal right when the bell rang, charging him in the corner then landing a dropkick to follow. It would not take long before Mahal fought back, landing a stiff kick to Hardy’s face, before stomping away at him. With Hardy grounded, Mahal went to work on him until Hardy landing a chin breaker.

Hardy went for the twist of fate, but Mahal countered with a high knee. He finished Hardy off with the Khallas to get the pinfall.

Jinder Mahal defeated Jeff Hardy via pinfall.

The next match out was an eight-man tag team match. Matt Riddle, Randy Orton and the New Day competed against Jaxson Ryker, Elias, AJ Styles and Omos.

Elias and Riddle started things off with Riddle looking for the armbar quick, forcing Elias to crawl to the ropes. Ryker came in right after and immediately found himself on the mat as well. Omos tagged in and started running through Riddle, Xavier Woods, and Kofi Kingston.

Omos’s assault on Riddle softened him up enough for Riddle to be isolated on the wrong side of the ring. Riddle was able to get back to his corner, allowing both Woods and Kingston to come in and cut Styles off. They would then hit a multitude of tag team maneuvers until Styles planted Woods with a spine buster. Then it would be Woods on the wrong side of the ring, getting beaten down by all four men.

He was finally able to get to Riddle to make the tag who started clearinghouse. Things broke down both inside and outside the ring, until Orton hit the RKO on Elias to pick up the victory.

Randy Orton, Matt Riddle, and the New Day defeated Elias, Jaxson Ryker, AJ Styles and Omos via pinfall.

More singles action was up next as Sheamus took on Humberto Carrillo.

Carrillo tried to take the fight to Sheamus first but was quickly overpowered. Sheamus mocked the smaller man until Carrillo got off some offense. Sheamus sidestepped him outside the ring, tossing him into the bell keeper’s area.

Back in the ring, Sheamus continued to smash Carrillo, toying with him. Carrillo ought out of the corner but did not have much to offer against the current United States champion. Carrillo would land a Hurricanrana from the top and even attempted a powerbomb to the outside off the apron. The nasty landing outside the ring left Carrillo unable to continue, giving the victory to Sheamus.

Sheamus defeated Humberto Carrillo via referee stoppage after an injury.

Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin had a one-on-one match after weeks and months of animosity between the two.

This was a classic match of power versus speed as Benjamin attempted to get his hands on Alexander, as the smaller man was able to stay out of the way until hitting a dragon screw on the ropes. Alexander looked in a leglock, but Benjamin reversed it into a modified Sharpshooter. Alexander fought out and went right back to the leg.

Benjamin went for the Paydirt, but Alexander countered, hitting a springboard into a scissor kick. Alexander mocked Benjamin who suddenly broke out the T-Bone suplex to put Alexander away and get the victory.

Shelton Benjamin defeated Cedric Alexander via pinfall.

Rhea Ripley and Asuka were pit against each other by Sonya Deville, making it Asuka’s second time to compete in the evening.

Ripley attempted to mock Asuka which set the former champion off on a tirade. Ripley was in control for a moment before Asuka attempted an armbar, forcing Ripley to crawl to the ropes. Ripley was able to take advantage of Asuka being outside the ring, but when she rolled Asuka back in Charlotte Flair made her presence known.

Ripley continued to dominant in the ring, wearing Asuka down. That would continue until the ladies ended up outside the ring where Asuka took over, but Ripley kicked out of the pinfall. Ripley used a Flair distraction to land a headbutt on Asuka, throwing her back into the ring. Flair’s presence again caused an issue, this time distracting Ripley and allowing Asuka to get in her own offense. However, Ripley countered into the Rip Tide, stopping Asuka’s momentum and picking up the victory.

Rhea Ripley defeated Asuka via pinfall.

John Morrison had an important singles match against Damian Priest to determine what the stipulation would be for Priest’s matchup against The Miz at WrestleMania Backlash.

It did not take long before Morrison was pushed back into the corner and taking several rights and lefts. Morrison was able to fight back, getting to the mount and landing multiple elbows before a stiff knee nearly knocked Priest out. Morrison continued to stay ahead of Priest with all his offense, but it all ended with a nasty elbow.

Priest was firmly in control, but that did not stop Morrison from fighting back, knocking Priest outside the ring where The Miz followed up with a boot to the face. Morrison found himself on the bad end of another striking combo, leading to the Falcon Arrow, followed up by a heel kick from the top rope. Morrison nearly won, but The Miz’s distraction again cost Morrison the match. Priest followed up with a clothesline, leading to Hit the Lights for Priest to pick up another victory.

Damian Priest defeated John Morrison via pinfall.

The main event of the night was Bobby Lashley against Drew McIntyre.

McIntyre looked for the Claymore and Lashley went for the Hurt Lock right at the start of the match. Neither man was successful, but Lashley locked in a tight headlock. Both men exchanged offense with the other stuck in the corner, but it would be McIntyre coming out in the better position after countering with a big boot.

Lashley overpowered McIntyre when the two men returned to the ring. That was until McIntyre landed a big vertical suplex. He still struggled with the champion, who once again knocked him from the ring, out to the floor. He would even bounce McIntyre’s head off the steel post.

McIntyre would still fight back inside the ring, throwing Lashley around the ring with multiple belly-to-belly suplexes. McIntyre fought out of the Hurt Lock and landed the Claymore, but before he could get the win Braun Strowman charged the ring and attacked McIntyre, causing the disqualification.

Drew McIntyre defeated Bobby Lashley via disqualification.