WWE Raw 3/5/18 Recap – Braun Battles Elias

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Kurt starts the show off and calls out HHH to face him like a man. Steph comes down before Ronda walks down and says that she’ll deal with bully bosses again. Steph says that the fans never know what they’re doing, they just do it to get a check and Ronda signed a contract to face someone at WM. Ronda says she wants to face Steph and gets a huge “yes” chant. HHH comes down and Kurt says that Steph and HHH each have wrestler contracts – as does he, so it will be Kurt and Ronda against HHH and Steph. Ronda grabs Steph and scares her before Kurt attacks HHH and Steph clubs Ronda before Steph runs away. HHH gets an ankle lock and Steph comes down to eat a Samoan drop from Ronda. Asuka faces Nia in a fun back and forth match – it’s better than their PPV match with Nia not taking 99% of it. Nia taps to the armbar – further getting Ronda’s finish over in WWE without her having to do it.

The Bar comes out to face The Revival and they have a great little match. The Revival looks small in there with them, but the work is solid. Dawson hits a superplex and a Wilder frog splash gets 2! Sheamus hits a blind brogue kick to Dash, but Dawson hits him with a teardrop suplex before Cesaro takes him out with a Neutralizer. Cena hypes up the Fastlane main event and he heels up saying by beating AJ, he’ll ensure that he faces AJ at WM for his rematch in a triple threat with Nakamura vs. Cena vs. AJ. Goldust says he could’ve been a contender and he still wants to soak in the spotlight of Mania. Cena and Goldust have a fun, but far too short match. Cena hits his usual stuff and wins with a single AA. Elias sings a bit backstage before Kurt tells him about his match with Braun tonight.

Hillbilly Jim’s HOF video airs. Bayley comes out to face Mandy, who dominates with a chinlock early. Bayley hits a back suplex and a flying elbow off the second rope and Bayley wins with a gator roll. Absolution jumps Bayley before Sasha makes a save. Alexa guilt trips Nia about her loss and Nia cries. Elias plays the piano and drums before trying to leave in a car that Braun is holding up. Braun tosses him around the stage and drops a piano over Elias and pins him. Bray beats Rhyno in a quick match until Matt talks about the great war and needing to battle Bray on the Hardy compound. Vanguard 1 returns, as does Scarsguard for the Ultimate Deletion!

Miz hosts the Mizzies and insults Kurt before Seth in a new Monday Night Rollins shirt and Balor come down. Finn and Seth face Miz and his goons. The faces dominate and Seth pins Miz with a revamped version of the stomp done just from a kneeling position. Kurt announces a triple threat IC Title match for WM. Heyman cuts a promo about how Brock chooses who he faces and how people who insult Roman for beating Taker because it’s a bullshit statement. Taker is the Undertaker 365 days a year and Roman beat the Undertaker – while Brock is Brock 365 days a year, and this year, Roman can’t beat Brock and won’t take his title. If Roman doesn’t like it, he can take it up with Brock next week and this title is Brock’s bitch and Roman can’t have her.

Heyman says that the Universal Title proves that you are THE GUY and the biggest dog in the biggest yard and the number one person on Earth and everywhere. It isn’t how bad you want the title, it’s how bad the title wants you. In order to get it, you have to be willing to sacrifice everything – if something happens to family before WM, you have to forego that to defend the title and when you do, you don’t have the freedom to take a day off because then you have Raw. Roman says that he said a lot last week, and buries Brock for sending Heyman to speak for him and he’ll talk to Brock himself next week. This was great stuff overall – they’re trying to get Roman over in a different way and it just might work.