WWE Raw: AJ Styles defeats Seth Rollins in main event

WrestleMania is a few short weeks away. The action across WWE continues to ramp up and that includes the latest edition of WWE Monday Night Raw.

The night started off with Kevin Owens. Owens came out impersonating the one and only, Stone Cold Steve Austin. He continues to rag on Austin as they are set to have a face-to-face at WrestleMania. The night ended with him landing a stunner on one of the staff members ringside and posing for all the fans as they rained down boos.

Tag team action started out the night with Los Mysterios taking on Dolph Ziggler and Bobby Roode. Ziggler and Roode were not alone, as The Miz was out to join them at ringside.

Dominick started off the match against Ziggler, tossing him with arm drags and hitting another off the top. Dominick made the mistake of following Ziggler outside the ring, who used that moment to gain the advantage. Rey was able to help his son as he was being double teamed. They then hit dual dives to the floor to take out Ziggler and Roode.

However, Seth Rollins came out to the ring with a microphone in hand. As Rollins ranted his microphone continued to get cut out.

Back from commercial and Rey knocked Ziggler off the top rope, landing on him with a seated senton. Ziggler kept Rey from tagging out and Roode knocked Dominick from the apron. Rey was able to get to his sone who put on a roll of offense before Ziggler broke up the pinfall attempt. A distraction from outside allowed Roode to hit the spinebuster for a two count. Dominick was able to hit a big frog splash on Roode to get the pinfall victory.

Los Mysterios defeated Dolph Ziggler and Bobby Roode via pinfall.

Omos was out next for a handicap match against Apollo Crews and Commander Azeez.

Azeez and Crews divided Omos’s attention to early success, taking the fight to him outside the ring. Azeez drove Omos into the steel post, but the big man did not go down. Omos got back into the ring and laid Crews out with a boot to the face. Azeez tagged in and the two big men stood in the middle of the ring.

Omos lifted Azeez up for a big slam and then caught Crews off the top rope. Omos tossed him overhead and then laid out Azeez with another kick to the face. Crews was flattened with the two-handed chokeslam, pinning both men at the same time to get the win.

Omos defeated Commander Azeez and Apollo Crews via pinfall.

AJ Styles was out next to return after a brutal assault from Edge. He called out his WrestleMania opponent but got Seth Rollins instead. Rollins talked his way into a match against AJ Styles with a trip to WrestleMania on the line. Adam Pearce and Sony Deville interrupted them. They gave Rollins one last chance to make it to Mania, and he had to face Styles in a singles match.

Women’s tag team action was next, with Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley taking on Natalya and Shayna Baszler.

Ripley started the match against Baszler, tossing her down. Baszler countered with a hammerlock but Ripley slammed her way out of it. Ripley followed up with a basement dropkick before tagging in Morgan. Natalya was tagged in as well, but Morgan continued to roll.

That was until she made the mistake of being distracted by Baszler. Natalya and Baszler doubled up the offense with Baszler hitting a stiff knee for a two count. Morgan nearly made the tag to Ripley, but Baszler tossed her back across the ring. Morgan was to Ripley, but Baszler pulled Ripley off the apron.

Morgan almost rolled up Natalya but was immediately laid out again. With Ripley on the floor, Baszler and Natalya hit the Hart Attack for the win.

Shayna Baszler and Natalya defeated Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan via pinfall.

Becky Lynch was out next to hype her match with Bianca Belair.

Austin Theory took on the WWE United States Champion, Finn Balor in the next matchup. Pat McAfee was on location for guest commentary.

Theory was focused on McAfee first but Balor took the offense to him. Theory was able to get an early advantage but Balor sent him outside the ring. Before Theory and McAfee could tussle, Balor landed a big dropkick that sent Theory into the barricade.

Back from commercial and Balor was rolling with the offense. He laid into Theory with chops in the corner. They ended up outside the ring where Balor bounced Theory’s head off the table. He then hit the sling blade and the shotgun dropkick into the corner. He missed the coup de gras, but Balor was able to roll out of the pin attempt.

Balor blocked the A-Town, but Theory countered Balor right back with a neck breaker. Balor was able to roll Theory up into a cradle and pick up the win.

Finn Balor defeated Austin Theory via pinfall.

RK-Bro took on Alpha Academy in tag team action.

Matt Riddle was on the bad side of the action early, with both Chad Gable and Otis taking turns on him. Riddle was about to reverse things on Riddle, hitting a big exploder suplex out of the corner. He went for the kick on Gable outside the ring, but he was caught. Otis followed up with a big shoulder block heading into the commercial.

Randy Orton was rolling out of the commercial break, attacking both men until Gable hung him up on the top rope. However, Orton caught him coming back into the ring, hitting the DDT. Gable hit a big German Suplex on Orton, but Riddle countered, hitting a knee and the Bro-Derek for the victory.

RK-Bro defeated The Alpha Academy via pinfall.

Up next was an intergender tornado tag team match. Dana Brooke and Reggie took on Akira Tozawa and Tamina.

Tozawa and Tamina were immediately on the back foot, being laid out in an awkward position in the corner. Reggie immediately pinned Tozawa for the victory.

Reggie and Dana Brooke defeated Tozawa and Tamina.

AJ Styles and Seth Rollins were out next for their matchup.

Styles was in control to start the match, using a headlock on Rollins. He would find his way out and hit the sling blade to slow down the match. Styles sent Rollins over the top and followed up with the offense heading into the commercial break.

Back from commercial and the two men were back in the ring. Rollins went for a suplex but Styles countered, hitting chops to Rollins’s chest. He would finish off the combo with a leg whip takedown. Styles crashed into the second turnbuckle and fell outside the ring. Styles made it back in the ring at the count of nine, but Rollins was all over him.

Rollins hit a neck breaker for a two-count. Styles was tied up in a Tree of Woe, allowing Rollins to hit a basement dropkick to the face for another two count. Styles once again found himself outside the ring and Rollins hit a dive heading into another commercia break. Rollins kept Styles grounded with a neck crank.

Styles fought back to his feet and landed an onslaught of offense to lay out Rollins. He followed that up with his own neck breaker for a two count. Styles called for the Styles Clash but Rollins countered. Styles planted him again for another two count. Rollins hit the rolling elbow and the Falcon Arrow for a two count. Rollins went for the Buckle Bomb but Styles countered with a suplex into the corner. Styles and Rollins ended up on the top rope but they slipped off with Styles hitting the Torture Rack into the Rack Bomb.

Styles went for the Phenomenal Forearm but was caught with a superkick. He hit the Buckle Bomb, but Styles countered the Frog Splash. Styles was lining up for the forearm again but Edge appeared, laying Styles out with the steel chair.

AJ Styles defeated Seth Rollins via disqualification.