WWE Raw 2/15/21 February 15th 2021
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WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from February 15
- Sana Ejaz Khan
- Credit: WWE.com
Just six days from WWE Elimination Chamber, the six men who will compete in the event's namesake match for the WWE Championship clashed in a gauntlet match to determine which lucky Superstar would enter Sunday's match last.
The star-studded main event headlined a show that looked to put the final touches on the build for the WWE Network special while propelling the hottest feuds on Monday nights forward.
Did it succeed? Who emerged victoriously, and what does it mean for the stars and the flagship on this Road to WrestleMania?
Find out with this recap of the February 15 broadcast.
Miz TV with Drew McIntyre
Credit: WWE.com
The Miz hit the ring to kick off this week’s show, introducing WWE champion Drew McIntyre as the guest on this edition of Miz TV. The talk show host mocked The Scottish Psychopath, calling him “Andrew” and “Andy,” before claiming John Morrison was away making a massive diss track about Bad Bunny.
Miz recapped Sheamus’ betrayal from two weeks ago, hyped the Gauntlet Match for later in the show.
As the Hollywood A-Lister piled on more and more, McIntyre rocked him with a headbutt, dropping Miz and walking out. The braggadocios loudmouth, angered by what had just unfolded, revealed that he is pulling himself out of the Elimination Chamber since he has the guaranteed Money in the Bank title shot anyway.
Grade
C
Analysis
These Miz “tough guy” promos lose their effectiveness when he is busy making rap videos with John Morrison and getting run over as a midcard comedy act. That this entire segment existed to get to that tired promo did not help its overall grade in the slightest.
What prevented it from garnering a minus was the fact that WWE Creative finally embraced logic. Why in the hell would Miz subject himself to the unforgiving confines of the Elimination Chamber when he could cash in on the beaten, battered winner?
It made sense that a guy who fancies himself a master manipulator would exorcise himself from that situation, sit back and wait for his opportunity. If this did nothing else, it at least tied up that loose end.
Six-Man Tag Team Match: Riddle and Lucha House Party vs. The Hurt Business
Credit: WWE.com
Ahead of Riddle’s shot at the United States Championship held by The Hurt Business’ Bobby Lashley, The Original Bro teamed with Lucha House Party’s Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado against MVP and the Raw tag team champions, Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin in a Six-Man Tag Team Match.
The Hurt Business earned the upper-hand heading into the break and maintained it coming back from the commercial, isolating Metalik and cutting him off from his partners. Metalik finally made the tag to Riddle, who exploded into the ring, teeing off on any of his opponents in front of him.
Metalik and Dorado wiped out Benjamin and Alexander on the floor while Riddle rocked MVP with a jumping knee. The Floating Bro earned Riddle the win.
After the match, Lashley attacked the victors, laying out Lucha House Party before trapping Riddle in the Hurt Lock. The Hurt Business stood tall, The All Mighty’s face painted with rage, as they headed to the back.
Result
Riddle and Lucha House Party defeated The Hurt Business
Grade
C
Analysis
This was an inoffensive tag match jam-packed with talent but hurt by the fact that most of the contest took place during the break.
Riddle built momentum for his match at Elimination Chamber while WWE has the opportunity to go with Lucha House Party against Alexander and Benjamin for the Kickoff Show if it wants to.
The most revealing moment of the entire segment was Tom Phillips calling into question Keith Lee’s health and hinting that there may be changes to Sunday’s scheduled Triple Threat Match for the United States Championship featuring him, Riddle and Lashley.
WWE Creative responded to that possibility by adding further heat to Riddle and the champion’s ongoing rivalry, in the event that they end up battling in singles action instead. A wise move given the build over the last two months.
Bad Bunny Wins Gold, Charlotte Flair and Asuka vs. Lacey Evans and Peyton Royce
Credit: WWE.com
Backstage, Akira Tozawa pinned R-Truth to win the 24/7 Championship, only for Bad Bunny to pin Tozawa and win the title in a spot everyone saw coming eventually.
Elsewhere, WWE official Adam Pearce mediated a back-and-forth between Kofi Kingston and The Miz before booking a match between them. If Kingston wins, he is in the Elimination Chamber match. If Miz wins, John Morrison takes his place.
Back in the ThunderDome, Charlotte Flair made her way to the ring for a match with Raw women’s champion Asuka against Lacey Evans and Peyton Royce. Evans cut a promo hyping her match with Asuka at Elimination Chamber while continuing her feud with The Queen.
Flair and Asuka teed off on Royce early but a big kick from the Aussie grounded The Empress of Tomorrow. The former IIconic worked over the Raw women’s champion before Asuka downed her and tagged Flair into the match.
A desperate Royce managed to tag Evans into the match but The Sassy Southern Belle hopped off the apron, grabbed a microphone and announced Flair wouldn’t put her hands on her because...she’s pregnant. The match ended with no finish, Evans leaving and jubilant Ric Flair to close out the segment.
Result
No contest
Grade
F
Analysis
Asuka meant nothing, Royce was an afterthought, and WWE Creative went from promoting a title match with an Evans promo to the former Marine announcing her pregnancy.
It was nonsense, nonsensical and a total waste of time that did nothing to help this floundering storyline. Furthermore, it showed a great lack of attention to detail as Evans still has a scheduled championship match with Asuka scheduled for Sunday’s match, despite the soap opera turn things took at the end of this match.
Just horrid storytelling that helps no one.
Least of which the Raw women’s champion, who deserves so much better than being set dressing on the brand she rules over.
As for Bad Bunny winning the 24/7 Championship earlier, it might be the best title booking WWE has produced this year. It makes sense, continues to implant the rapper in the WWE Universe, and keeps fans guessing as to what the pop star is up to next.
Kofi Kingston vs. The Miz
Credit: WWE.com
Former WWE champions did battle next as Kofi Kingston battled The Miz in singles action.
A win for Kingston would earn him a spot in Sunday’s WWE Championship Elimination Chamber Match. A win for Miz would earn John Morrison the spot instead.
A determined Kingston took the fight to his opponent, repeatedly stunning him for near-falls. Miz turned the tide in his favor with consecutive neckbreakers, one onto the apron and the next on the floor, heading into the commercial.
Back from the timeout, Miz rocked Kingston with a double ax handle but Kingston kicked out at two. Kingston fought back with a stomp and the Boom Drop before setting up for Trouble in Paradise. Miz countered into a rollup. Kingston answered back with SOS.
Miz targeted Kingston’s knee and applied the Figure Four. Kofi fought to the ropes, forcing the break, and countered Skull-Crushing Finale into a rollup. He followed with Trouble in Paradise for the win.
Result
Kingston defeated The Miz
Grade
C+
Analysis
Kingston and Miz have worked with each other enough times and mastered the WWE style to such an extent that any match is going to be above average at the worst.
This was a competitive bout with enough dramatic spots late and a solid finishing sequence.
Kingston winning was the right move, but only if Mustafa Ali ends up taking his spot Sunday in the match. Otherwise, it is a meaningless spot WWE Creative should have filled with Morrison.
Oh, and remember when Miz cut that tough guy promo at the start of the show? He lost here, rendering that whole thing an exercise in the futile.
Alexa Bliss Warns Randy Orton; Lana vs. Shayna Baszler
Credit: WWE.com
A week after Lana pulled off an improbable victory over Nia Jax in a Tables Match, The Ravishing Russian sought to make it 2-0 against the women’s tag team champions as she squared off with Shayna Baszler.
The Queen of Spades exercised excellent joint manipulation early, punishing Lana. An insulting slap to the face of the tag champ awakened a killer side of Baszler that saw her tee off on Lana.
At ringside, Jax assaulted Naomi, only to be sent into the ring post.
In the ring, Lana rolled Baszler up for a near-fall. The Queen of Spades rocked her with a knee and finished her off with the Karafuji Clutch for the submission one.
Result
Baszler defeated Lana
Grade
D
Analysis
This did not need to exist, in any shape or form.
No one believed Lana could win and she did not. This match existed solely for the sake of existing and propelling a feud forward. Except, it did not. Lana and Naomi are no more a believable team no than they were entering the match.
Baszler and Jax are still questionable champions at best.
The state of the women’s tag titles is not particularly good and this is not at all the way to turn things around.
Gauntlet Match
Credit: WWE.com
The Gauntlet Match to determine the final entrant in Sunday’s Elimination Chamber Match for the WWE Championship kicked off with AJ Styles battling Kofi Kingston, the latter still nursing the knee injury suffered in his match with The Miz.
Kingston shrugged off the ill effects of said match and wiped Styles out at ringside. Omos responded by laying out Xavier Woods with a chokeslam on the floor. Back from the break, Kingston continued to nurse an injury Styles was all-too-quick to exploit.
Too much taken out of him by his match with Miz earlier, Kingston fell prey to a Phenomenal Forearm and Styles advances. (Kingston eliminated)
McIntyre entered the match next, punishing The Phenomenal One with strikes and tossing him around like a ragdoll. The focused WWE champion rolled into the commercial. McIntyre continued his dominance until Styles momentarily turned the tide in his favor.
AJ rocked McIntyre with a forearm attack on the floor, leaving the champion reeling. He shoved the WWE champion into the steel post heading into another commercial. McIntyre fought out of a headlock and sent Styles flying with an overhead suplex. The Phenomenal One answered, catching McIntyre in the Calf Crusher. McIntyre escaped with a headbutt. The champion dodged the Phenomenal Forearm and delivered the Claymore for the win. (AJ Styles eliminated)
Jeff Hardy entered next for a rare babyface vs. babyface showdown between him and McIntyre. The Charismatic Enigma worked over the battered WWE champion, looking to build momentum for himself ahead of Sunday’s PPV.
McIntyre fought back, flooring Hardy with a Future Shock DDT and following with a suplex on the floor. Back in the ring, McIntyre delivered a superplex for a near-fall. Over 30 minutes into the match, McIntyre launched himself across the ring for a Claymore, but Hardy moved. He delivered the Twist of Fate and tried for the Swanton.
McIntyre got the knees up, though, and delivered the Claymore of the win. (Jeff Hardy eliminated)
Randy Orton made his way to the ring to rekindle a rivalry with McIntyre that absolutely no one asked for.
The action resumed following a break but was interrupted when Alexa Bliss’ face appeared in the ThunderDome audience. The distraction led Orton to be counted out. (Randy Orton eliminated)
Sheamus, the final participant, attacked from behind and fought his former best friend around the ringside area. Back in the ring, the bell rang marking the start of the final fall of the match. Sheamus punished McIntyre, digging his knee in the head and neck of the WWE champion.
McIntyre created separation with the Glasgow Kiss and dropped Sheamus with Future Shock. McIntyre added an overhead suplex but Sheamus caught him with the Brogue Kick to earn the win. (Drew McIntyre eliminated)
Result
Sheamus defeated McIntyre, Orton, Hardy, Styles and Kingston and will enter the Elimination Chamber last Sunday on PPV
Grade
C+
Analysis
This was a strong performance from McIntyre but after a year-long push, he was really the last guy in this match that needed the boost of a long run. Outside of the extended portion with Styles, this was mostly uninteresting and only picked up again with the arrival of Sheamus.
Until, you know, they overthought that, too. Sheamus could have easily delivered a Brogue Kick from out of nowhere to really hammer home that he is a despicable heel. Instead, he went 50-50 with McIntyre until the end.
The biggest problem with this match, though, is that WWE officials just gave these six guys away for free for an hour and is now asking fans to pay to watch them again Sunday night. Chamber or not, that is a tough sell, especially with a lack of engaging or interesting stories.
