3/18/13 Monday Night Raw Coverage

Raw opens with a video package highlighting the feuds between Brock Lesnar and Triple H and CM Punk and The Undertaker.

We go live into the arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and John Cena’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring. Cena says he has a message for all of The Rock’s fans. He says his time is now and it began at the Royal Rumble. He points to the WrestleMania sign, but the Prime Time Players interrupt him. O’Neil says they are ready for Mania as well, and then calls himself Rufus Patterson. Cena says he is in luck, because there are some great doctors in Pittsburgh that could help him with his split personality. Cena mocks them, and O’Neil says the fans don’t want to see him at WrestleMania. O’Neil says he would have no problem coming to the ring and tearing him limb from limb, but Young will do it instead. Young says he will leave Cena crying just like The Rock did at last year’s WrestleMania.

Match #1: Darren Young (w/Titus O’Neil) vs. John Cena
Cena takes Young down quickly and then tries to lock in the STF, but Young escapes to the outside as we go to a commercial break.
We’re back and Cena takes Young down with a side slam. Cena quickly picks Young up and hits the Attitude Adjustment for the pin fall.
Winner: John Cena.

We see that The Undertaker will be live on Raw tonight to address CM Punk. We then take a look back to last week’s Smackdown to see what happened between Mark Henry and Ryback. We see Ryback walking backstage, and he will take on David Otunga after the commercial.

Match #2: David Otunga vs. Ryback
Ryback slams Otunga into the corner and then delivers a few chops. Ryback backs away and charges, but Otunga gets his boot up. Otunga comes off the ropes, but Ryback takes him down with a hard clothesline. Ryback delivers a spine buster and sets up for the Meathook Clothesline. He connects and picks Otunga up. Ryback delivers Shell Shocked for the pin fall.
Winner: Ryback.
After the match, Ryback says he, Randy Orton, and Sheamus will tear The Shield apart at WrestleMania. He says his path with cross with Mark Henry again, and it will be feeding time. Mark Henry’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring. Teddy Long and Vickie Guerrero stop Henry on the ramp. Vickie says she is taking Ryback out of the Six-Man Tag Team Match, but he will go one-on-one with Mark Henry at WrestleMania. Ryback hits Otunga with another Shell Shocked to end the segment.

We are reminded that the contract signing between Brock Lesnar and Triple H will happen later tonight. We also see that Fandango will premiere next.

Match #3: Fandango (w/ his dancing partner) vs. The Great Khali (w/Natalya)
Before the match, Fandango tells Natalya to pronounce his name correctly. She fakes like she is going to, and sends Khali after him. Fandango escapes the ring and says we almost got to see his debut. He and his dancing partner walk up the ramp.

We see that Wade Barrett will defend the Intercontinental Championship in a Triple Threat Match against Chris Jericho and The Miz later tonight.

Match #4: Damien Sandow vs. R-Truth
Sandow kicks Truth in the midsection and sends him into the ropes. Sandow knees Truth in the midsection and then drops a knee to Truth for a two count. Sandow locks in a headlock, but Truth fights out. Truth sunset flips Sandow for a two count. Sandow gains control and stomps on Truth. Sandow takes Truth down with a float over for a two count. Sandow locks in another headlock, but Truth fights out. Sandow connects with a few knee shots and then the Cobito Acquiet for a two count. Truth comes back with an elbow shot and a clothesline. Truth delivers some right hands and then takes Sandow down with a hurricanrana. Truth connects with the Lie Detector and Sandow rolls out of the ring. Sandow walks away and gets counted out.
Winner via count-out: R-Truth.

We see Cody Rhodes and The Bella Twins hanging out. Kaitlyn walks up and says she can’t hang out with Cody later, and tells the Bellas that they can have his mustache, and that he can have theirs.

We see that The Undertaker will return to Raw after the commercial break.

The Undertaker’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring. Taker says Punk sealed his fate last week. Taker says he is going to hurt Punk badly at Mania. Taker says he has one chance to return the urn, and he wants it back now. We hear a high-pitched voice, and we see CM Punk holding the urn backstage. Punk says if Taker gets counted out or disqualified at Mania, it’s still a loss. Punk calls Taker the best at WrestleMania, but he is the Best in the World 365 days a year. Punk says Taker answers to a higher power, but Punk is the higher power. Punk says he is willing to walk through hell and endure any pain Taker dishes out to end the streak. Punk says he will end the streak, and will be the “1” in 20-1. Punk drops the urn on the ground and says “Again, no disrespect intended.”

We are reminded that Brock Lesnar and Triple H will have their contract signing later tonight.

Match #5: Epico and Primo (w/Rosa Mendes) vs. Team Hell No
Kane and Primo start the match. Kane knees Primo and stomps him out of the ring. Kane tags Bryan in, but Primo takes advantage while Bryan is trying to calm Kane down. Bryan comes back and slams Primo into the corner. Bryan kicks him repeatedly and then connects with a knee to the chest for a two count. Primo gets to the corner and tags in Epico, but Bryan takes him down and works over his arm. Primo distracts Bryan, and Epico takes him to the outside. Epico tosses Bryan back into the ring and goes for the cover, but Bryan kicks out at two. Epico stomps Bryan down in the corner and tags in Primo. Primo connects with a dropkick, and gets a two count. Primo tags in Epico again, who takes Bryan down for another two count. Epico applies a submission, and then takes him down with a clothesline and gets another two count. Epico tags in Primo, who takes Bryan down to the mat. Primo applies a headlock, but Bryan fights out. Bryan tags in Kane, but uppercuts Primo and then connects with a back-body drop. Kane sidewalk slams Primo and knocks Epico to the floor. Kane hits a clothesline from the top rope and sets up for a chokeslam, but AJ Lee’s music hits and she skips around the ring. Primo tags in Epico, but Kane chokeslams him for the pin fall.
Winners: Team Hell No.

We go backstage and Chris Jericho says he has held the Intercontinental Championship more than anybody ever has. He gets interrupted by Fandango. Jericho says he didn’t catch his name, and Fandango says it for him. Jericho calls him “Fandumbo” among other things. Fandango says Jericho will learn to pronounce his name and walks away.

We see that Randy Orton and Sheamus will take on 3MB later tonight, and that Alberto Del Rio will go one-on-one with Cody Rhodes after the commercial break.

We take a look at a video package showing various WWE Superstars visiting people in Rwanda.

Match #6: Alberto Del Rio (w/Ricardo Rodriguez) vs. Cody Rhodes
Rhodes takes control early on, but Del Rio comes back with a hurricanrana. Del Rio rolls Rhodes up for a quick one count. Rhodes comes back and sends Del Rio into the corner. Rhodes takes Del Rio down and drops a knee onto his back. Del Rio comes back and slams Rhodes to the mat and kicks him in the shoulder and gets a two count. Rhodes comes back and takes Del Rio down with a suplex for a two count. Rhodes applies a submission, but Del Rio counters with a back-body drop. Del Rio charges at Rhodes, but he moves and Del Rio goes shoulder-first into the ring post. Rhodes kicks Del Rio in the chest and takes him to the corner. Del Rio comes back and kicks Rhodes in the back and then sends Rhodes to the floor with a baseball slide as we go to a commercial.
We’re back and Rhodes stomps away on Del Rio in the corner. Rhodes charges Del Rio in the corner, but Del Rio moves out of the way. Del Rio slams Rhodes to the mat and goes for a moonsault, but Rhodes moves out of the way and takes Del Rio down with a clothesline. Rhodes works over Del Rio’s knee and goes for a cover, but Del Rio kicks out at two. Rhodes stretches out Del Rio’s knee in a submission, and then takes him to the ropes. Del Rio tosses Rhodes to the mat, and both men get to their feet. Del Rio takes Rhodes down with a couple of clothesline and a back-breaker. Del Rio kicks Rhodes in the face and goes for the cover, but Rhodes kicks out at two. Rhodes connects with a back elbow and then a moonsault for a two count. Del Rio delivers the shots to Rhodes’ kidney and then connects with the backstabber, but Rhodes gets his foot on the rope at two. Del Rio locks in the cross arm-breaker and Rhodes taps out.
Winner: Alberto Del Rio.
After the match, Jack Swagger attacks Del Rio. Rodriguez tries to help, but Swagger tosses him out of the ring. Del Rio and Swagger exchange right hands and go to the floor. Del Rio kicks Swagger in the head and then tosses him into the barricade. Del Rio turns his attention to Zeb Colter, but Swagger hits Del Rio from behind. Swagger tosses Del Rio into the steel steps and then over the announce table. Swagger grabs Rodriguez and locks in the Patriot Lock.

We see that Booker T will be the next inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2013.

We are reminded that Wade Barrett will defend the Intercontinental Championship against Chris Jericho and The Miz later tonight.

Match #7: Drew McIntyre and Heath Slater (w/Jinder Mahal) vs. Randy Orton and Sheamus
Sheamus and McIntyre start the match. Sheamus backs McIntyre into the ropes and then connects with the plunge before tagging Orton in. Orton takes McIntyre down with a dropkick and tags Sheamus back in. Sheamus connects with his vintage ten clubbing shots and takes McIntyre down for a two count. Sheamus takes McIntyre down, but Mahal distracts Sheamus and McIntyre takes him down with a clothesline. McIntyre tags in Slater, who distracts the referee and allows McIntyre and Mahal to beat down Sheamus. Slater kicks Sheamus in the face, but only gets a two count. Slater tags in McIntyre, who comes off the top rope, but Sheamus takes him with with an axe handle club. Sheamus tags in Orton, who takes down Slater with a power slam. Orton drops Slater with the middle rope DDT. Sheamus hits the Brogue Kick on McIntyre and Mahal, and Orton hits the RKO on Slater for the pin fall.
Winners: Randy Orton and Sheamus.
After the match, The Shield’s music hits and they make their way to the ring. Orton and Sheamus invite them into the ring, but The Big Show’s music hits and he comes to the ring. The Shield regroups and exits through the fans.

Match #8: Dolph Ziggler (w/AJ Lee and Big E Langston) vs. Kofi Kingston
Kingston takes Ziggler down with an arm drag and keeps the pressure on Ziggler’s arm. Ziggler comes back and takes Kingston down and applies a side headlock. Ziggler runs the ropes, but Kingston takes him down with a back elbow. Kingston gets caught up in the ropes and tweaks his knee, and Ziggler gets a two count. Ziggler gets Kingston in another headlock. Kingston fights out and takes Ziggler down to the mat. Kingston connects with the Boom Drop, and then goes for Trouble in Paradise. Ziggler catches him and shoves him away, but Kingston kicks him in the head. AJ Lee starts yelling at Kingston and the referee tells her to get away, and Langston takes Kingston down hard on the outside. Kingston gets back into the ring, but Ziggler hits the Zigzag for the pin fall.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler.
After the match, Team Hell No comes to the stage. Bryan congratulates Dolph for getting he and Kane on the same page. Kane says he is not in a good state of mind right now. Kane challenges Ziggler and Langston to a match. AJ grabs a mic and accepts for them, but only if the WWE Tag Team Championship is on the line and it is at WrestleMania. Bryan starts the “YES YES YES” chant with the crowd, and the match is official.

We take a look at a video package for the WrestleMania match between John Cena and The Rock.

Match #9: WWE Intercontinental Championship Triple Threat Match: Wade Barrett (c) vs. Chris Jericho vs. The Miz
Barrett goes after Jericho and then The Miz. Jericho comes back and takes Barrett down with a knee lift for a two count. Jericho tosses Barrett to the outside, and The Miz rolls up Jericho for a two count. Jericho sends The Miz to the outside, and then launches himself onto Barrett and The Miz. Jericho tosses Barrett back into the ring. Jericho connects with a dropkick for a one count. The Miz trips Jericho up and sends him into the announce table. The Miz sends Barrett into the corner and connects with a clothesline. Barrett comes back and connects with a running knee to The Miz. Barrett takes The Miz to the top, but Jericho gets into the ring and superplexes both Barrett and The Miz to the mat as we go to a commercial.
We’re back and Barrett is in control of the match. Barrett delivers a knee to Jericho’s midsection, but only gets a two count. Barrett applies a headlock, but Jericho fights out and takes Barrett down with a couple of shoulder blocks. Jericho plants Barrett, but he kicks out at two. Jericho goes to the ropes, but The Miz pulls the top rope down and Jericho tumbles to the floor. Barrett connects with the Winds of Change on The Miz, but only gets a two count. The Miz dropkicks Barrett’s knee and locks in the Figure Four. Jericho breaks it up with the Lionsault, but only gets a two count on The Miz. Jericho goes for the Walls of Jericho on Barrett, and he locks it in. The Miz gets back in and goes for the Skull Crushing Finale on Jericho, but Jericho reverses and hits the Codebreaker. Barrett sends Jericho to the outside. Barrett pins The Miz, but Jericho breaks it up. Jericho tosses Barrett into the barricade and pins The Miz for a two count. The Miz plants Jericho with a DDT, but Jericho kicks out at two. The Miz goes for another cover, but Jericho kicks out at two again. Jericho goes for an enziguri, but The Miz counters. The Miz catches Jericho with the Skull Crushing Finale, but Barrett rolls The Miz up for the pin fall.
Winner and still WWE Intercontinental Champion: Wade Barrett.

We see Triple H walking backstage. The contract signing with Brock Lesnar is next.

Triple H’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring. Paul Heyman makes his way to the ring with some security guards. Triple H says he figured Lesnar would be the type of guy to come out here and look him in the eyes. Heyman says Lesnar is fearless. Heyman says he and Lesnar has put Triple H in a predicament. Either Triple H lets down the entire WWE Universe, or he signs the contract without knowing the stipulation for the night. Heyman says Lesnar has already signed the contract and he will tell the stipulations to Triple H once he signs the contract. Triple H says he doesn’t care because he is going to kick Lesnar’s ass anyway. Heyman tells Triple H to hold on, because he has some footage from three weeks ago. It’s the footage of Triple H attacking Lesnar and splitting his head wide open on the ring post. Heyman says a couple of stipulations that are fake and says Lesnar doesn’t want to hear any excuses from Triple H when Lesnar beats him at WrestleMania. Heyman insults Stephanie McMahon and Triple H grabs Heyman. Triple H tosses the security guards out of the ring and grabs Heyman again. Triple H puts Heyman on the table in the ring and slaps him across the face and clubs his chest. Triple H signs the contract and tosses Heyman out of the ring. Brock Lesnar’s music hits and he comes out with a steel chair. Triple H grabs a sledgehammer that was somehow taped to the bottom of the table in the ring… Heyman circles the ring with Lesnar and gets a microphone at the top of the ramp. Heyman says the stipulation is No Holds Barred….and Triple H’s career is on the line. Raw comes to a close with Lesnar and Triple H staring each other down.

Quick Results:
1. John Cena defeated Darren Young
2. Ryback defeated David Otunga
3. Fandango vs. The Great Khali never got started
4. R-Truth def. Damien Sandow by count-out
5. Team Hell No defeated Epico and Primo
6. Alberto Del Rio defeated Cody Rhodes
7. Randy Orton and Sheamus defeated Heath Slater and Drew McIntyre
8. Dolph Ziggler defeated Kofi Kingston
9. Wade Barrett defeated The Miz and Chris Jericho in a Triple Threat Match to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship