WWE Monday Night Raw: 3/21/2022

WrestleMania is finally a week away! All this buildup, all this suspense and all of these fun matches are finally going to cultivate in a (hopefully) good but memorable WrestleMania. This week’s Raw episode nailed it with the hype for next weekend so without further delay let’s jump into it!

Segment 1: Stone Cold!!…. Kevin Owens.

It’s been a while since the glass shattered on WWE tv and I really was convinced that it was going to be Steve Austin coming out here to confront Owens before their (let’s refer to it as a) segment at WrestleMania, however one bald-cap later it was Owens that came out dressed like the Texas Rattlesnake, tricking every single one of us by thinking that Steve would’ve showed up. Nothing too eventful happened, apart from Owens calling Austin a washed up and a has-been and how at WrestleMania he’d make sure Stone Cold is taken care of properly. Honestly I’m just more curious to see how this segment turns out; either if it’s going to be an actual KO Show segment or Austin comes out wearing his vest and wrestling gear with the two actually trading blows in an actual match. It should be interesting.

Match 1: Handicap Match; Apollo Crews and Commander Azeez vs Omos. (Rating:2.5/5)

I actually predicted a match, and it ended up becoming true. Sure on last week’s blog I said that this would happen at Mania, but regardless I called it! This match wasn’t anything special either unfortunately, as Azeez and Omos really didn’t come to blows as much compared to last week. Omos wins via pinfall after stacking both men on top to get the three count similar to what Roman Reigns did at last year’s WrestleMania with Edge and AEW’s Bryan Danielson. After the match, Omos threw out a challenge for Mania to anyone in the back that would be gutsy enough to accept it; and with the rumors that Bobby Lashley would be the one to accept the match, we are certainly in store for a possible classic.

Segment 2: Seth Rollins can’t catch a break.

AJ Styles is back! He hasn’t been seen since Edge attacked the Phenomenal One several weeks back, and Styles is more than ready to deliver his absolute best to Edge at the Showcase of the Immortals; however a certain somebody is beyond desperate to get a match at the event, even if it means wanting to take the spot from somebody else. Seth Rollins is here, and the Chicago crowd just HAD to shower the dude with chants for Cody Rhodes since he’s officially signed with the WWE once again. Rollins addressed the chants as just rumors and quickly dismissed them, then proceeded to demand a match with Styles with the winner of the match being the one that gets to face the Rated R Superstar at WrestleMania. Frustrated as can be, Styles accepts the match which ended up being the main event!

Match 2: Finn Bálor vs Austin Theory. (Rating:3/5)

These two dudes are really seeming to do this forever, aren’t they? Can’t complain as Bálor and Theory’s chemistry together is second to none! Pat McAfee joins the Raw commentary just for this match alone and seeing him interact with Corey Graves truly makes me want to see those two as a solo commentary team for any show. Theory ended up getting too distracted by McAfee, giving Bálor yet another win against his rival; giving Finn momentum for his possible US title match against Damian Priest at WrestleMania.

Main Event: AJ Styles vs Seth Rollins. (Rating:4/5)

Why do all the great matches have to end unclean?! This was so great! It wasn’t on the level of their previous encounter a number of years ago at the Money in the Bank payperview but this was still great nonetheless! Seeing Rollins acting this desperate to get placed on the card for either nights of WrestleMania is already losing its touch but again with the reports of Cody already being signed to the company, this waiting will be worth it. It seemed AJ was one Phenomenal Forearm away from getting the pinfall victory against Seth, however Edge costs Styles the match; resulting in Rollins being disqualified with AJ winning the match and being the one to face the Hall of Famer at Mania. And the way Seth reacted to this was done perfectly: he destroys the ringside area, broke down barricades, ripped the LED part of the ring-post, flips the announcer’s table. Seth seemingly has lost everything, and it really does look like it’s the end of the road for him. However next week’s the final Raw before WrestleMania. One might ponder of the idea of Cody appearing finally. Who knows…?

Rating:3.75/5