WWE Raw: Finn Balor wins the WWE United States Championship

WWE WrestleMania 38 is five weeks away and there’s a lot to build to before the biggest annual event in professional wrestling. WWE Raw featured a lot of the biggest names on the brand including Damian Priest defending his United States title against Finn Balor, Edge talking about his future at WrestleMania, and much more.

The night started off with the KO Show, as Kevin Owens was out to talk to Alpha Academy. He wasn’t alone as Seth Rollins was there with him. Rollins and Owens made it clear that they are after the titles for a shot to get to WrestleMania. It wasn’t long before Owens and Chad Gable ended up in a physical altercation to kick off a match.

Back from a commercial and Owens ran into the brick wall that is Otis. Otis was putting his power on display, and every way Owens tried to fight back failed miserably. Owens was able to get his own momentum going, dropping two sentons before tagging in Rollins. Gable distracted Rollins just enough for Otis to send him flying off the apron and into the barricade.

Otis kept the pressure up outside the ring, tossing Rollins into the barricade and the apron before entering the ring. Rollins was isolated on the wrong side of the ring, allowing Gable to come back in and keep the offense going. Gable went after Rollins’s arms, and after a quick suplex Rollins kicked out at one. Otis made the mistake of going for the Vader Splash, missing, and Rollins made the tab.

Owens knocked Gable from the apron then hit the cannonball on Otis. He followed that up with another cannonball off the apron onto both men. Gable then took a frog splash from the apron, but Otis cut him off with a clothesline.

Another commercial break and Alpha Academy was still in control. Gable hit a big German Suplex, but Owens fought out of the second attempt. He crawled over to Rollins who pounced on Gable. Rollins hit the sling blade and dropped Gable into the turnbuckle before hitting a knee from the top. He followed that up with a Falcon Arrow for a two count. Gable went for another suplex but didn’t see the blind tag to Owens who hit a superkick and package neckbreaker. Otis made the save on the pinfall attempt.

Otis hit the Vader Splash on Owens followed up with the moonsault from Gable. Rollins made the save and took the dive on Otis. Gable hit another big suplex on Owens and went for another moonsault but Owens rolled out the way. They set him up for the Stunner and Curb Stomp to pick up the win.

Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens defeated Alpha Academy via pinfall.

T-Bar was out next for singles action against Omos.

Before the match started Omos jumped him, laying him out off the apron. T-Bar was in bad shape, but the match started. Omos wasted little time hitting the two-handed choke slam for the victory.

Omos defeated T-Bar via pinfall.

A six-woman tag team match was up next with Bianca Belair teaming with Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley against Becky Lynch, Doudrop, and Nikki ASH.

Lynch faked at starting the match with Belair but tagged in ASH. Belair did the same, bringing Morgan back into the match. ASH didn’t take long before tagging out to Doudrop. She easily tossed Morgan onto her back, but Morgan answered with a kick to the head. She tagged in Belair but she needed to get help from Ripley to suplex Doudrop.

Doudrop ended up outside the ring and Ripley assisted Morgan to fly over the top rope and take out all three ladies at once.

Back from commercial with Lynch and Belair going at it. Lynch almost picked up the victory with a counter from the suplex, but Belair kicked out. Lynch remained in control, knocking Belair to the apron and using her hair to ram her body into the steel post. Lynch kept Belair isolated on their side of the ring.

Doudrop was tagged in, putting the power to Belair before tagging in ASH. Nash hit a rolling neck snap into a pinfall but only got a two count. They continued the offense on Belair but she was able to use her quickness to get the tag, bringing in Ripley.

Ripley landed a bunch of offense on Lynch, finishing it off with a basement dropkick. After dropping Lynch face first, Doudrop ran into the ring to break things up. There was a moment of brawling but ASH got the tag after assisting Lynch. Belair also came into the match, but Lynch cut off the handspring splash. Morgan responded with a dive to the floor onto Lynch. Belair ended up whipping Lynch with her hair, causing Lynch to roll out of the ring to run. Belair finished off ASH with the KOD for the win.

Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, and Rhea Ripley defeated Becky Lynch, Nikki ASH, and Doudrop via pinfall.

Robert Roode was up next to take on Tommaso Ciampa.

Roode and Ciampa went right at it out the gate, with both men exchanging blows. They ended up outside the ring where Ciampa hit a stiff clothesline before aggravating Dolph Ziggler. Back in the ring he stomped away on Roode, going for a pinfall but Roode kicked out at one.

Roode answered with a big spinebuster, but Ciampa kicked out as well. Ciampa answered with a stiff elbow and an inverted DDT but Roode kicked out. Roode dodged the knee and avoided the Fairy Tale Ending. He then countered Roode’s Glorious DDT and rolled him up for the pinfall.

Tommaso Ciampa defeated Robert Roode via pinfall.

Dana Brooke was out for mixed-tag action against Tamina and Akira Tozawa.

Brooke and Tamina started things off. Tamina was isolated in the corner but flattened Brooke with an elbow. Reggie tagged in and started landing unique offense on Tozawa. Brooke made the save, knocking Tamina from the ring. Reggie hit the flipping senton for the victory.

Dana Brooke and Reggie defeated Tamina and Akira Tozawa via pinfall.

Los Mysterios were out for a tag team match against The Hurt Business. But before the match could kick off, The Miz made his way to the ramp to berate Los Mysterios and address the WrestleMania match where he and Logan Paul team up to take on the father-son duo.

Back from the commercial and The Hurt Business were in control with Cedric Alexander attacking Rey. He stomped on the former champion in the corner, before isolating him to tag out to Shelton Benjamin. Benjamin hit a high-angle body slam, following up with punches to the face. Rey sent Alexander into the corner, giving himself the space to tag in Dominick.

Dominick hit a high cross body and Hurricanrana of his own. He hit a DDT, forcing Alexander to make the save. Rey then hit the Hurricanrana on the floor, while Benjamin attempted to avoid the 619 only to forced into the steel post. The Miz distracted Rey which allowed Benjamin to roll up Dominick for the victory.

The Hurt Business defeated Los Mysterios via pinfall.

The Street Profits were up against Team RK-Bro for a tag team match.

Riddle and Angelo Dawkins started out the match with Dawkins getting the advantage. He brought in Montez Ford to attempt some tandem offense, but Riddle countered with a triangle submission. Ford reversed it into a pin attempt, but Ford was still isolated on the wrong side of the ring.

Randy Orton came into the ring and stomped away on Ford before tagging back out to Riddle. Ford countered the assisted Floating Bro, getting the tag to Dawkins. He backed Riddle into the corner and laid into him with strikes. Riddle didn’t see the blind tag to Ford, but he knocked Orton off the apron then hit a senton onto the standing Riddle on the floor.

Back from commercial, both Riddle and Dawkins were laid out. They both made tags and Orton was on fire against Ford. Orton hit the draping DDT on Ford, while Dawkins and Riddle continued battling. Ford countered the RKO and went for the Frog Splash, hitting it on the former champion. Orton tried to put his foot on the rope by Dawkins stopped it, allowing Ford to get the pin.

The Street Profits defeat Team RK-Bro via pinfall.

Finn Balor was up next to take on Damian Priest for the WWE United States Championship.

Balor and Priest locked up with Priest getting the initial advantage. Priest was in firm control, hitting a back elbow in the corner, before swatting him back to the mat.

Balor was able to finally get some offense, hitting a low drop kick before stomping on Priest in the corner. He then dove over the top to knock the champion down again before the show cut to another commercial.

Back from commercial and Priest took over, hitting a big back breaker for a two count. Priest went to work with kicks to Balor’s chest, but Balor fought back, both men ending up on shaky legs. Balor caught the next kick, swept Priest’s legs out and hit the double stomp. He backed Priest into the corner and laid into him with shoulder charges before catching him with the sling blade.

Balor went for the coup de grace but Priest avoided it, hitting a clothesline. Priest staggered Balor with kicks and hit the South of Heaven for a two count. Priest went for the Reckoning, but Balor countered, hitting the shotgun dropkick. He landed the coup de grace and pinned Priest to pick up the victory and become the United States champion.

Finn Balor pinned Damian Priest to become the WWE United States Champion.

Priest attacked Balor after the match, tossing him through the announce table before walking away.

Edge was out in the main event slot to find out who his challenge would be at WrestleMania. The person that answered the call was AJ Styles. Edge would attack Styles and both men ended up brawling, with Styles laying out Edge first. Edge quickly answered, kicking Styles low to get the upper hand. He would hit Styles with the con-chairto as the show ended.