WWE Raw: Becky Lynch defeats Liv Morgan to retain title

Another edition of WWE Monday Night Raw was upon us. Two big matches were set for the evening as Becky Lynch defended her title against Liv Morgan and Big E stands toe-to-toe against Kevin Owens in a steel cage. That, plus a lot more to look out for on the longest running wrestling program in history.

The night started off with Big E and Owens facing off in that cage.

The bell rang and Owens immediately tried to run out the cage, only for Big E to stop him with heavy blows. That didn’t work as Big E was all over Owens. Owens even tried to climb the cage, only to get crotched across the top rope.

They ended up on the top turnbuckle where Owens was able to knock Big E back down for a moment. However, that safety didn’t last long as Big E speared him through the ropes and into the cage. The violence continued as Big E repeatedly bounced Owens off the cage. But he made the mistake of going for the spear again and Owens moved, sending him into the fence.

Back from the commercial and Owens was in firm control, pounding away on the champion. He looked to send Big E into the cage and Big E reversed it. He tried to climb through the door but Owens stopped him. Owens tried to find another way out of the cage again but Big E tried to stop him, just to get bounced off the cage. Owens found a way to reserve the situation into a powerbomb off the top for a two-count on Big E.

Big E started to fight back to his feet but Owens tried to mount his offense. Big E tossed Owens around with multiple suplexes. Owens landed a suplex and hit a cannonball in the corner. The two men exchanged punched until Owens got the advantage and locked in a Boston Crab. As Big E was about to crawl out, Seth Rollins smashed him in the face with the cage door.

The two men continued to fight in the cage, once again on the top turnbuckle after the commercial. Owens knocked Big E from the top and hit a frog splash for a two-count. Big E answered with a uranage out of the corner for a two-count. Owens nearly picked up a victory with the Pop-Up Powerbomb but Big E kicked out before three.

Big E stopped Owens once again, this time setting up for a Big Ending from the top. This time he hit the move and began crawling toward the door but Owens grabbed his foot. He kicked him off and made it outside the ring to pick up the win.

Big E defeated Kevin Owens in a steel cage match via escaping.

Queen Zelina was out next for a singles match against Nikki A.S.H.

Vega was in control of the match right from the start, slamming A.S.H to the ground then bending her across the rope. Vega went for a pin attempt and only got to two, while A.S.H answered back with two attempts of her own.

A.S.H was able to take things into her own hands, with a bulldog out of the corner. The momentum didn’t last long and Vega tried to use the ropes to win. She was caught, and dropped to the mat by a counter from A.S.H. She went up for the crossbody but Vega avoided the move. She hit the Code Red in response for the win.

Queen Zelina Vega defeated Nikki A.S.H via pinfall.

Up next was the first match in the RKO-Bronament for a shot at the tag team titles. The Street Profits were out to take on AJ Styles and Omos.

Ford and Styles started the match, with The Street Profits getting the advantage over Styles. They isolated him in the ring and hit a wealth of offense on him, getting a two-count at the end.

Dawkins continued to put the pressure on Styles, but when he went to use the ropes Omos leaned on them to cause him to fall over the top. Styles smashed Ford in the face with a forearm before hitting another forearm on Dawkins outside the ring.

Back from the commercial and Omos was in charge. Dawkins continued to get tossed around the ring at a slow pace as Omos towered over him. Omos tagged in Styles and that was the opportunity needed for Dawkins to get to Ford. He came in with a wealth of high impact, face offense against Styles. Styles had a moment but Ford hit a jumping clothesline to cut him off. The Street Profits knocked Omos off the apron and the distraction allowed Styles to take down Ford with kicks and a brain buster.

Styles called for the forearm but Omos tagged himself in before Styles could launch off the ropes. Omos went to work outside the ring but he was so focused on Dawkins on the floor that he was counted out of the match.

The Street Profits defeated AJ Styles and Omos via count out.

Damian Priest was out next with the United States Championship in tow. Bobby Roode was out to face the champion.

Roode landed some offense early, but Priest took control as the match went on, including landing a flying elbow for a two-count. He followed that up with a snap mare takedown and a kick to the spine. Roode ran into a big boot and Dolph Ziggler tried to get involved, angering Priest. Roode took advantage of that moment to attack from behind.

Roode planted Priest but was unable to get the victory and the title. Priest fought back, landing some punches before pancaking Roode. He followed that up with a clothesline and The Broken Arrow for a two-count. Roode ducked a big kick and a clothesline, scoring with a back stabber for a two-count.

Roode gets back to his feet but is rocked with kicks. He countered Priest in mid-air with a spinebuster for a two-count. Roode went for the Glorious DDT but Priest fought out of it. They exchanged positions but Priest was able to hit the Reckoning for the victory.

Damian Priest defeated Bobby Roode via pinfall.

Doudrop and Bianca Belair were set for a singles match. But before Belair could get to the ring Doudrop attacked her from behind.

The two women went right after each other with Doudrop overpowering Belair. Belair responded back with kicks in the corner. She even mocked the bigger woman, avoiding her with her quickness. When Belair went for a dropkick, Doudrop avoided and dropped onto her with a senton.

That gave Doudrop the opportunity to slow down the match, dropping Belair with kicks and punches. She started to focus on Belair’s arm and elbow, backing her into the corner and tying her arms up in the ropes. Belair tried to fight back but was stopped by a clothesline for a two-count. Doudrop then went to the gift wrap position to attack the shoulder.

They ended up on the apron and Belair was able to knock her down with the handspring into the ropes. Doudrop pulled her outside, running her back into the ring apron. She followed that up with a splash onto Belair on the floor.

Back from commercial, both women were on their feet, slinging punches. Belair went to the suplex but Doudrop countered. However, she did not counter the spinebuster when Belair broke that out. She backed Doudrop back into the corner with shoulders, then landed punches to the face. A crossbody from the second rope gave her another two-count.

Belair tried to use a sunset flip but Doudrop countered with sitting on her chest. She then used the Vader Bomb but Belair kicked out at two. Doudrop lifted Belair up for a powerslam, but she fought out of the position and avoided the cannonball. Belair lifted Doudrop up but she held onto the top rope to avoid the KOD.

She stormed out of the ring and took the count out defeat.

Bianca Belair defeated Doudrop via count out.

The final match in the first round of the RKO-Bronament was up as Rey and Dominick Mysterio teamed to take on Alpha Academy.

Chad Gable and Dominick started out the match. Dominick was in control early, but Gable got under his skin and slapped him in the mouth. He used that opening to land a butterfly suplex into a bridge. Dominick returned the favor with a slap and forced Gable to run into a drop kick. Gable immediately responded with a belly-to-belly suplex.

Gable rolled into a single-leg crab and pulled Dominick to the middle of the ring. Dominick stopped Gable from making the tag but took a forearm to the head for the troubles. Gable used the dragon screw to snap Dominick’s knee, but he missed the moonsault follow-up. Dominick rolled Gable up to get the pinfall victory.

Dominick and Rey Mysterio defeated Alpha Academy via pinfall.

Finn Balor was out next to compete against T-Bar.

T-Bar went right to the power and physicality game, clubbing Balor in the back of the neck. Balor went for the crossbody and ended up getting a knee to the ribs and tossed aside. T-Bar backed him into the corner and kicked Balor in the ribs over-and-over. Another backbreaker and he went for a pin, only for Balor to kick out at two.

Balor was able to fight back with shots to the body. T-Bar went for a chokeslam but Balor countered with a rollup. He didn’t get the win but did hit the double stomp to the chest. T-Bar took over again, nearly beating Balor after another big shot.

Balor hit the sling blade and climbed to the top but T-Bar stopped him. Balor stopped the chokeslam off the top. That gave him the space to hit the Coup de Gras for the victory.

Finn Balor defeated T-Bar via pinfall.

Becky Lynch versus Liv Morgan for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship was the main event.

Lynch tosses Morgan to the ground with ease to start the match. Morgan fired back, forcing Lynch to roll outside the ring for a moment. Morgan dropped Lynch with a shoulder block, but Lynch countered a leapfrog into a takedown.

They exchanged pin attempts with Lynch going for the Disarmher multiple times. Neither woman found a full advantage until Lynch dropped Morgan with a right hand. Morgan chased after Lynch but was kicked outside the ring. Lynch tried a baseball slide but Morgan countered with a version of a codebreaker. She went high risk and landed the crossbody to the floor.

Morgan went to the top rope but Lynch cut her off with shots to the face. She would hit the Superplex from the top, dropping Morgan right in the center of the ring. Back from commercial and Lynch was in control of the match. Morgan fought back to her feet, landing shots on Lynch’s face. Lynch dropped Morgan with an inverted DDT for a two-count.

Morgan went to the top but Lynch snapped her leg out from under her, causing her head to hit the turnbuckle. Lynch missed the next move and was caught with a step-up enziguri to the face. Morgan hit a Thesz Press and drove her fist into Lynch’s face. She followed that up with a knee in the corner. Lynch countered the Oblivion but was hit with a springboard codebreaker for a two-count. Morgan sent Lynch to the apron with a head scissors out of the corner, then landed stomps on the fallen champion. She hit a missile dropkick for another two-count, but when Lynch kicked out, she went for the Rings of Saturn.

Lynch rolled through into a pin attempt but turned it into the Disarmher. Morgan pulled herself to the corner to escape the hold. Morgan countered the Manhandle Slam but Lynch rolled closer to the rope to use the leverage to keep the pin.

Becky Lynch defeated Liv Morgan to retain the WWE Raw Women’s Champion.