wwe nxt highlights 10 february 2021

 

WWE NxT Live 2/10/21 February 10th 2021

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WWE NXT Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from February 10

Sana Ejaz Khan

Credit: WWE.com

With NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day just days away, the February 10 edition of WWE NXT set the stage for the first major event of 2021 for the black-and-gold brand.

Three semifinal matches were on tap for the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. The women's final semifinal was a battle of rivals where Shotzi Blackheart and Ember Moon looked to cost The Way a major opportunity by defeating Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell.

Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa have had an unlikely ride in the men's Dusty Rhodes Classic, but they needed to fight one of the best tag teams in the world, The Grizzled Young Veterans.

Austin Theory announced that due to injuries suffered at Kushida's hands, the NXT North American champion would not compete at TakeOver. He wanted to get revenge in a battle with the Japanese Superstar.

Pete Dunne and Finn Balor were set to face off in the middle of the ring before their huge NXT Championship match. Karrion Kross and Scarlett had something to say on the show, likely connected to the recent warning made to Santos Escobar.

Cameron Grimes returned to the NXT ring as well as Xia Li, who has been looking to make a lasting impression on behalf of Tian Sha.

This episode was huge for the black-and-gold brand, setting the stage for NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day.

Men's Dusty Classic: MSK vs. Legado Del Fantasma

1 OF 6

Credit: WWE.com

Legado del Fantasma punished MSK early in this match, sending them painfully to the floor outside. Nash Carter found himself isolated in the heel corner but managed to get the tag to Wes Lee. Lee pushed Carter into Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza mid-rotation to send the match into chaos.

Wilde hit a reverse hurricanrana into Mendoza's spinning brainbuster for a nearfall. MSK refused to stay down no matter what, and the two worked together to hit an elevated running blockbuster for the win.

Scarlett entered William Regal's office and made clear he would need to sanction Karrion Kross vs. Santos Escobar next week. The NXT general manager was glad to agree. The NXT cruiserweight champion told Wilde and Mendoza to make up for their loss by finding Kross. Kross laid them out.

          

Result

MSK def. Legado del Fantasma by pinfall to advanace to the finals of the men's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

           

Grade

B+

            

Analysis

MSK continue to find their groove in NXT. While Lee and Carter were talented before they came to WWE, it can often take time to adjust to a new wrestling style. The team feels unique but also already familiar working with some of the best NXT has to offer.

This was a great match between two motivated teams with much to prove. The action was non-stop with plenty of great spots throughout. Some things MSK did in this match are completely unique to WWE. Mendoza and Wilde did not look out of their depth keeping up.

These teams should both be in the tag team title picture after this tournament. Especially with so many teams reaching new heights, it is worth considering another multi-team title ladder match soon.

Xia Li (w/ Boa and Tian Sha) vs. Cora Jade

2 OF 6

Credit: WWE.com

NXT showed a video packages to put over the intense personal hatred between Io Shirai, Toni Storm and Mercedes Martinez.

Xia Li was distracted to start by the arrival of Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter, but it did not last long. The dangerous Chinese Superstar dominated Jade and knocked her out cold with a spin kick.

Carter got in the face of Tian Sha until Li knocked Carter off the ramp. As Ying choked out Boa for letting anyone get close to her, Li knocked out Catanzaro with a spin kick.

          

Result

Li def. Jade by pinfall.

           

Grade

C+

            

Analysis

This was a fascinating segment. Li continues to pick up dominant wins, even against promising newcomers like Jade. The inclusion of Carter and Catanzaro can add an emotional element to this story, helping evolve the story of Sha. Hopefully, the squashes will stop soon and turn into complete matches.

It does feel like a waste to bring in a new potential star, only for her to immediately get knocked down with such fervor. However, this is typically NXT's modus operandi. New stars lose first then start to get build once WWE trusts them unless they are seen as absolute stars.

Women's Dusty Classic: Shotzi Blackheart and Ember Moon vs. The Way

3 OF 6

Johnny Gargano was wielded out with a cast on his left arm from multiple fractures at the hands of Kushida. William Regal arrived to announce The Rebel Heart was faking and had been cleared yesterday. Kushida attacked and revealed that Gargano could use his left arm.

Candice LeRae mentally adjusted quickly to take over the action quickly, planting Shotzi Blackheart on the mat repeatedly pulling at Blackheart's heart. The Poison Pixie lost her focus when her rival refused to stay down, allowing a hot tag to Ember Moon.

The War Goddess ran over Indi Hartwell, and Blackheart and Moon got a chance to team together, shifting the momentum. LeRae hit a tight-rope headscissors on Moon, launching her into Blackheart and the announce table.

The action shifted back and forth, but no one could quite put this away. It looked to be over after LeRae hit Blackheart with the Wicked Stepsister to set up a springboard elbow from Hartwell, but Moon broke it up.

LeRae took the Eclipse to set up a diving senton. Hartwell covered her mentor to take the shot for her, but she was the legal woman and was pinned for three.

The two final teams in the women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic faced off as William Regal announced the winner would get a shot at the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships.

          

Result

Blackheart and Moon def. LeRae and Hartwell by pinfall to advance to the finals of the women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

           

Grade

B+

            

Analysis

These women brought everything to this contest, and it showed. LeRae carried the physical side of this encounter and allowed Hartwell to get in some impressive moment in the biggest match of her career. Moon and Blackheart are good together and continue to improve as a unit.

With Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez winning last week, the only challengers to the heels that made sense were Moon and Blackheart. Despite this, the women nearly sold the idea that LeRae and Hartwell would pull it out.

The women's final is the absolute best match-up the first women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic could have produced. Either team could make a major impact against the WWE women's tag team champions.

Austin Theory vs. Kushida

4 OF 6

Credit: WWE.com

Austin Theory and Kushida went after each other immediately at the bell. While Theory thought he could assert his power against his smaller opponent, the Japanese Superstar had too many counters for the young performers, whipping him around and wearing him out.

The technical attack of Kushida did serious damage to the left arm of the heel. Theory only found an opening when he tripped the Japanese Superstar off the top rope. However, Kushida powered through a powerbomb on the apron and locked Theory in an armbar.

Gargano kicked Kushida to cause a disqualification, and the two viciously attacked the No. 1 contender to the NXT North American Championship. Dexter Lumis pulled Theory below to save Kushida and scared off Gargano. Kushida locked Theory and Gargano in Hoverboard Locks, and Lumis put Theory to sleep.

          

Result

Kushida def. Theory by DQ.

           

Grade

B

            

Analysis

Theory continues to improve with serious competition. Kushida made him look good by competing with him at a high level. Kushida looked like the better man, but Theory stayed in the fight and never looked weak. In fact, Gargano was the one that looked weak, tapping out to Kushida in fear.

This has been a fun rivalry, and Gargano has truly shined in his new role. He has fully committed to his ridiculous persona. No one in NXT is funnier than The Rebel Heart right now. It was obvious he was faking the arm injury, but that did not stop the segment getting more ridiculous with every passing minute.

He has made Kushida look unstoppable whether the challenge wins at TakeOver or not. It will be interesting to see what happens between them at TakeOver and what role Lumis will have.

Cameron Grimes Strikes It Rich

5 OF 6

Credit: WWE.com

Another vignette aired for Imperium, clearly warning that all members of the dangerous European stable would soon arrive in NXT.

Cameron Grimes appeared in a Lamborghini, giving away money on his way to the ring. He revealed he was now seriously rich from investing in GameStop and Dogecoin, and he told William Regal he would now choose what he did in NXT with all his money.

           

Grade

D+

            

Analysis

Grimes's reinvention was awkward to start. This story of The Technical Savage getting rich off GameStop stock and Dogecoin felt too much like WWE trying to play at being current. Grimes did not deliver the promo well, especially without a true crowd to hate him.

Hopefully, there is some plan at the end of all this. It is simply not clear yet. Grimes remains an awkward piece in NXT, not quite fitting on the wrestling-heavy brand.

Men's Dusty Classic: Thatcher & Tommaso Ciampa vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

6 OF 6

Credit: WWE.com

Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa talked about The Grizzled Young Veterans, calling them entitled including their arrogant name.

Zack Gibson taunted Thatcher and Ciampa until The Blackheart charged at The Grizzled Young Veterans. The angry faces tried to isolate Gibson, but James Drake helped get his partner out of the situation. GYV tripped Ciampa, forcing him to land hard on his neck.

This left Thatcher alone in the ring in what felt like a handicap match against an experience team that beat him down viciously. The Blackheart finally returned to the ring, clutching his neck but able to get the tag to save his partner.

Despite a brief flurry from Ciampa, Grizzled Young Veterans took back over and hit a devastating Doomsday Device. This set up GYV to hit the Ticket to Mayhem to pull off a huge victory.

          

Result

Grizzled Young Veteran def. Ciampa and Thatcher by pinfall to advance to the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

           

Grade

A-

            

Analysis

This was pure tag team excellence on display as the heels divided and conquered. It was an incredible performance from The Grizzled Young Veterans, and Ciampa was fantastic in his babyface comeback for the team.

Ciampa and Thatcher found a great dynamic together. The two should continue to work together going forward. Even if they lost, this is a team that can absolutely work a fantastic match with the current NXT tag team champions Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch.

With MSK making it to the finals, Grizzled Young Veterans had to rise to meet them. The two established tag teams needed to be in the finals over any others.

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AEW Dynamite Highlights 10 February 2021

 

AEW Dynamite Live 2/10/21 February 10th 2021

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AEW Dynamite Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from February 10

sana Ejaz Khan

Credit: AEW

The Women's Eliminator tournament officially began with this week's episode of Dynamite with Thunder Rosa taking on "Legit" Leyla Hirsch in a first-round matchup.

Following Kenta's shocking arrival on last week's show, the New Japan Pro-Wrestling star made his Dynamite debut when he teamed up with AEW World Champion Kenny Omega to take on NJPW United States champion Jon Moxley and Lance Archer. 

Before they face The Young Bucks for the AEW tag titles at Revolution on March 7, Chris Jericho and MJF worked on their tag team chemistry in a match with The Acclaimed.

We also saw Pac take on Ryan Nemeth, Cody Rhodes and Lee Johnson battled Peter Avalon and Cezar Bononi, and Darby Allin defended the TNT Championship against Joey Janela. 

Let's take a look at everything that happened on this week's episode of AEW Dynamite.

Darby Alling vs. Joey Janela (TNT Championship)

1 OF 6

Dynamite opened with Janela making his entrance for his TNT title match against Allin. The small crowd sounded bigger than usual as it cheered for the challenger. 

They locked up and The Bad Boy applied a waistlock. Allin backed him to the corner for a clean break but got in Janela's face for a second. Janela was not impressed. The champ put him in a hammerlock and kept it on after a few attempts at a counter. 

Janela backed him to the corner and hit a back elbow to break the hold. Allin popped up and hit a springboard arm drag followed by a dropkick. Janela dropped him on the apron and hit a suicide dive.

Janela slowed the pace down and applied a submission on the mat. He took Allin down with a double ax handle from the top rope but when he went back up, Allin yanked him down by his arm. He worked over Janela's arm a bit before driving him into the barricade with a huge suicide dive. 

The Bad Boy caught Allin in mid-air for an impressive German suplex. They went back and forth with quick counters until Janela hit a piledriver for a two-count. Allin recovered and hit the Coffin Drop for the win. 

                            

Grade: B

                           

Analysis

This was Janela's best match in AEW to date. He looked more technically sounds than he ever has, but Allin's contributions cannot be ignored. Both men worked hard to make this an entertaining opener.

Were there a few sloppy moments? Yes, but that comes with any match that keeps the kind of pace this one had. They barely slowed down from the moment the bell rang until the ref counted to three.

Unfortunately, the quick pace led to certain big moves not being sold enough. A code red from the top rope and a piledriver are moves people use as finishers. They shouldn't be sold like a simple body slam.

Even with those criticisms, this bout was fun and engaging. This is the match that could get Janela put into regular rotation on Dynamite. 

Cody and Lee Johnson vs. Peter Avalon and Cezar Bononi

2 OF 6

After Cody defeated Avalon in a singles match recently, The American Nightmare teamed up with Johnson to take on Pretty Peter and Bononi.

Cody went right after Avalon and stomped him to the mat before he brought in Johnson. Bononi made a blind tag and took out Johnson from behind with a clothesline. The heels began to work the Nightmare Factory alum over but he turned things around and hit an impressive dropkick.

Cody tagged in but Bononi overpowered him with an overhead slam. We returned from a break to see the heels controlling the pace. Cody caught Avalon in a dive and slammed him. Johnson tagged in and hit a flurry of moves to both Superstars. 

Johnson was able to avoid Avalon's finisher and rolled him up for the pin. 

                           

Grade: C+

                        

Analysis

The pace in this match was faster than it needed to be, so this bout ended up suffering from a bigger lack of selling than the opening bout.

Johnson looked good getting his first win on Dynamite. He was crisp and kept up with more seasoned wrestlers. He was breathing heavily during his post-match interview but that does not necessarily mean he was blown-up by the match.

Sometimes, AEW tries to make every match a show-stealer when something a little more traditional would serve the stars in the ring in a better way. 

Pac vs. Ryan Nemeth

3 OF 6

After a backstage segment with Hangman Page, Matt Hardy and The Dark Order, Pac made his way out to battle Nemeth. It looked like they would have a clean start before Pac took him down with a few kicks.

The Bastard hit a snap suplex and a running uppercut. Nemeth struggled to his feet before a missile dropkick took him right back down. 

Nemeth came back with a Dolph Ziggler-style snap DDT, but Pac rolled out of the ring to avoid the pin. When Nemeth tried to follow, he was sent into the barricade. He stomped Nemeth into oblivion before hitting the Black Arrow. He immediately transitioned into the Brutalizer for the win. 

                              

Grade: B

                          

Analysis

This match was designed solely to make Pac look dangerous and in that regard, the bout accomplished its goal. Pac looked dominant and Nemeth sold well to make him look even better.

Nemeth is the younger brother of Ziggler and he both moves and looks like him, so comparisons are going to be made until he finds a way to stand out on his own. That said, he looked good here.

This was the third match of the night that did not feature interference of any kind. It makes it clear AEW was relying on that trope too much in recent months. 

The Acclaimed vs. MJF and Chris Jericho

4 OF 6

Sammy Guevara had a backstage confrontation that ended with Guevara punching MJF in the gut. Before this match, MJF told Jericho what happened and had his ribs taped up as if they were broken. 

Anthony Bowens and Max Caster looked confident on their way to the ring. MJF started the match against Caster but quickly tagged out to Jericho. Caster took down the veteran with a shoulder tackle and tagged in Bowens for a double-team.

MJF came back in and Bowens dropped him right on his face and upper body for a near-fall. Y2J and his BFF took control as the show went to a break. We returned to see the Inner Circle members using a classic leverage technique in the corner until Aubrey Edwards caught them cheating. 

After Caster broke free, Bowens and Jericho tagged in and had a nice exchange. Bowens picked up MJF and drove him to the mat. He knocked Ortiz off the apron. While the ref was distracted, Caster hit Jericho with his boombox for a two-count. 

Jake Hager pushed Caster off of the top turnbuckle, allowing Jericho to hit the Judas Effect for the win. Guevara came out after it was over and quit The Inner Circle. 

                          

Grade: B-


                               

Analysis

This match had a much better pace than the previous tag team encounter. They slowed down when they needed to and sold for each other when they needed to.

MJF and Jericho used some classic heel cheats during this bout that haven't been common in years. It was a fun throwback. As always, MJF played his role brilliantly.

The Acclaimed has a lot of talent but Caster and Bowens still have a little work to do on some of the basics before they are ready for the tag title scene. 

Guevara quitting the stable was predictable but necessary for this storyline to move forward. MJF's master plan is slowly starting to unfold. 

Leyla Hirsch vs. Thunder Rosa

5 OF 6

The first match in the Women's Eliminator tournament took place this week with Hirsch taking on Thunder Rosa. The former NWA women's champion gave a promo before the match saying she wanted both the AEW and NWA women's titles.

They locked up and wrestled on the mat until they came to a stalemate and reset. Hirsch showed off some of her amateur wrestling skills as she worked over Rosa's arm and hit a suplex. 

Rosa hit a body slam and a running senton for a two-count. Hirsch hit a nice hurricanrana that sent Rosa out of the ring, and she followed that up with a suicide dive. Rosa recovered but Hirsch almost locked her in an armbar. 

We returned from a break to see Rosa building some momentum. She nailed a low dropkick in the corner but Hirsch kicked out at two. Legit Leyla executed a few throws and a crossbody for another two-count. 

Rosa avoided a moonsault to regain the upper hand and hit her finisher to pick up the win and advance to the second round. 

                               

Grade: B+ 

                                        

Analysis

Other than two or three moments where it looked like there was a timing issue, these two women put on the best match of the night up to this point.

Hirsch's technical ability combined with Rosa's unique style to create a great performance. They had great chemistry and it would be nice to see them get a chance for a rematch down the line.

Hirsch is still new to AEW and has time to establish herself. Even with the losses she has suffered, she has looked impressive in each outing. It wouldn't be surprising to see her get a push at some point. 

KENTA and Kenny Omega vs. Jon Moxley and Lance Archer (Falls Count Anywhere)

6 OF 6

Omega was shown golfing earlier in the day and he told Alex Marvez that he was the best of all time and didn't need to prepare for his match like most wrestlers. 

KENTA hit Moxley with his IWGP U.S title shot briefcase right after the bell. He tried to do the same thing to Archer but the big man showed no signs of pain. Omega helped KENTA take down both opponents.

KENTA shoved Omega out of the way so he could stomp on Mox and it led to a brief argument. Archer ran over Omega and Moxley turned KENTA inside out with a clothesline. Omega used a trash can as a weapon and used it during a moonsault to inflict extra damage. 

Archer and Omega fought into the crowd area during the break. KENTA hit Avalon with a GTS when he got in his way. Archer sent Omega into a heart-shaped bed Avalon keeps at ringside for some reason. Moxley rejoined the fight and got a near-fall on KENTA.

Moxley and KENTA took the fight into the kitchen area backstage where the IWGP U.S. champ took a DDT on top of a metal table. It took a few minutes for everybody to make it back to the ringside area. KENTA tried to put Moxley through a table with a double stomp but the table didn't break. 

Archer chokeslammed Omega and walked across the top rope to hit a moonsault for a two-count. The Good Brothers came out and attacked Archer and Jake Roberts. Moxley came in with a barbed wire bat to take out the interlopers. 

Omega hit Archer with a V-Trigger but he needed help to get him up for the One-Winged Angel. He hit the move and got the pin. 

                            

Grade: B-

                           

Analysis

For some strange reason, AEW decided to air a recap of the first half of the match at the halfway point instead of sticking with the action. It took some of the momentum away from the wrestlers.

As fun as all of the mayhem was, this match was overbooked. If you do everything in the first encounter, it doesn't leave anywhere for these guys to go in the future.

The relationship with AEW and NJPW should excite fans because it means we will get to see stars like KENTA more often. He looked great in this match and came off like a legit contender, which is something WWE never managed to pull off with his character.

This was an entertaining fight but it got to a point where they were just doing things for the sake of doing them. This is a rare instance where a match would have been better with five fewer minutes. 

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WWE Raw Full Show Live Streaming 8 February 2021 WWE Raw Highlights 8 February 2021

 

WWE Raw 2/8/21 February 8th 2021

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WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from February 8

Sana Ejaz Khan

Credit: WWE.com

The February 8 edition of Monday Night Raw continues WWE's Road to WrestleMania. With WWE Elimination Chamber just two weeks away, it was time to start building that card, deciding what championships and challengers would be fighting inside the steel.

Haunted by the ghost of Bray Wyatt inhabiting Alexa Bliss, Randy Orton continued to try to focus on gold. Continuing his rivalry with Drew McIntyre, The Viper challenged the WWE champion in a non-title match.

The Scottish Psychopath himself had his own goal. He wanted to address his best friend Sheamus. The Celtic Warrior had attacked McIntyre last week and then demanded a WWE Championship match. It was just a matter of the time and place.

Lacey Evans has been tormenting Charlotte Flair for weeks since Ric Flair helped her defeat The Queen. This week, Raw gave them the ring to face each other while Ric watched on.

This episode for the red brand needed to spark excitement. This was a show with serious stakes and expectations and little promised ahead of time to deliver on that.

AJ Styles (w/ Omos) vs. Jeff Hardy

1 OF 7

The show opened with an In Memoriam for "The Natural" Butch Reed. Raw showed a recap of the history of Drew McIntyre and Sheamus before The Celtic Warrior attacked his best friend.

Adam Pearce introduced Shane McMahon, who had a huge announcement to make. Drew McIntyre would fight five former WWE champions inside the Chamber: Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy, AJ Styles, The Miz and Sheamus.

The Phenomenal One arrived to mock Pearce and send him to the back with a promise of giving the WWE Universe a preview for the Chamber against The Charismatic Enigma. Shane McMahon told The Scottish Psychopath backstage that he needed to prove his mettle by winning in the Chamber.

Styles went after Hardy from the outset, injuring the left leg of his rival. The Charismatic Enigma limped to a comeback, but after a Twist of Fate, he missed a Swanton Bomb. The Phenomenal One made Hardy tap out to the Calf Crusher.

Sheamus questioned Pearce backstage, calling him a "yes-man" for doing whatever Shane wanted.

           

Result

Styles def. Hardy by submission.

                

Grade

C+

            

Analysis

From the announcement on, Raw set the tone for the night. The favorites on the red brand have been further established while many fan favorites are left out in the cold. Shane's appearance was a complete non-factor when something special could have been done tonight.

The Chamber is a special opportunity to tease many potential changes before WrestleMania. It would have made more sense to set up a No. 1 contender in the Chamber rather than putting the title on the line, especially since McIntyre vs. Sheamus was already set up.

Moreover, the lineup for the Chamber is a waste of a talented roster. Orton, Styles and Miz have gotten their shots. Hardy has not earned this. WWE wants to sell the idea of a Chamber of former WWE champions, but that just set up a bunch of familiar names.

Styles vs. Hardy was solid, but the two have faced off many times. This was barely impactful beyond further emphasizing that The Charismatic Enigma cannot beat major wrestlers anymore.

New Day vs. Retribution's T-Bar and Slapjack

2 OF 7

Mustafa Ali was aggressive on commentary, growling about the opportunities he and Retribution never got while New Day got its shots. T-Bar and Slapjack did Ali proud for a while by leaving some lasting bruises on Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods.

Ali continued to yell at Retibrution's representatives in the ring. However, the motivation waned for the heels as New Day came back in a flurry. Kofi and Woods hit Day Break for the victory. Ali was furious, yelling at all of the members of Retribution in the ring.

          

Result

New Day def. Retribution by pinfall.

           

Grade

B+

            

Analysis

This was a surprisingly fun tag team match, fueled by the venom in Ali's words. He was certainly over the top but made the most of the spotlight to sell who he is as a character. He speaks complete truth but also has his own motivation, hoping Retribution will give him a better spotlight.

T-Bar and Slapjack are both talented wrestlers, a truth that could be forgotten beneath the masks. It would not have been hard to imagine fans getting seriously excited about Kofi Kingston or Xavier Woods vs. Dominik Dijakovic, but his evolution to T-Bar has kept fans from enjoying his work fully.

Despite all of that, though, the athleticism in this match was off the charts. Hopefully, the next step is to give Kofi and Ali 10 minutes to showcase their talent in a full sprint.

Charlotte Flair vs. Lacey Evans (w/ Ric Flair)

3 OF 7

Ric Flair explained that he had chosen Lacey Evans to represent him as his next protege. Both wanted to achieve a higher level through their shared respect. Despite Charlotte Flair's insistence, they explained there was no romance between them.

The two tried to play nice with The Queen, but Charlotte was not having it. She wanted to refocus on Asuka. Both women believed they should be No. 1 contender to the Raw Women's Championship.

A fight broke out, and The Sassy Southern Belle knocked Charlotte into the steel steps before accepting a match with her.

The Queen hurt her left shoulder on the impact, and Evans took advantage in the match that ensued. She stomped on the bad shoulder and wrenched at it while she strutted around the ring. Ric got in Charlotte's way when The Queen seemed ready to make a comeback.

The distractions allow Evans to do even more damage to the bad shoulder, leaving Charlotte barely able to keep up. The Queen lost it and started assaulting Evans in the corner, causing a disqualification.

After her win, it was announced Evans would challenge Asuka at WWE Elimination Chamber.

          

Result

Evans def. Charlotte by disqualification.

           

Grade

D+

            

Analysis

This was another awkward segment between Charlotte and Evans, even if Ric gave a better explanation for his involvement with The Sassy Southern Belle. Working as a mentor to her is far better than being a desperate old man falling for the gold digger.

However, Charlotte and Evans have no chemistry on the mic, struggling to deliver any kind of compelling animosity. They are better wrestling one-on-one, but without any investment, these contests lose all excitement.

The Miz Interrupts Edge; Damian Priest (w/ Bad Bunny) vs. Angel Garza

4 OF 7

Damian Priest and Bad Bunny talked backstage. The Miz and John Morrison seemed to be laughing together with Angel Garza.

Edge questioned if he would challenge for the WWE Championship, knowing that the title would be defended in the Elimination Chamber. The Miz mocked The Rated-R Superstar with the Money in the Bank briefcase. Edge was not impressed by Miz or John Morrison and tore into him for trying to intimidate him.

The A-Lister and The Shaman of Sexy helped keep Garza in this match with The Archer of Infamy until Bad Bunny got the two thrown out by the referee. This allowed Priest to hit the Reckoning and emerge victorious.

          

Result

Priest def. Garza by pinfall.

           

Grade

C-

            

Analysis

Edge's involvement ahead of the match was completely useless. If the plan is for Edge to appear each week and talk about maybe choosing his opponent for WrestleMania, it will get tiring fast. He needs some kind of story in the meantime.

The match that followed was fine, but Priest and Garza can do so much better. The various distractions have gotten in the way of the talent in the ring. The Archer of Infamy is getting a major rub from working with Bad Bunny, but the international star could end up stopping people from seeing Priest at his best.

Miz and Morrison remain an oddity on Raw. They are used so regularly in stories, but they lack real credibility as heels. It is far too obvious they will lose to Priest and Bunny when the time comes.

Keith Lee vs. Riddle

5 OF 7

Bianca Belair said she wanted the best challenge possible at WrestleMania whether it be Sasha Banks or Asuka. The Empress of Tomorrow appeared to congratulate The EST. Belair warned Asuka that she might not be ready for The EST.

Riddle and Keith Lee talked backstage. The Limitless One told The Original Bro he should let someone else go after Bobby Lashley and the United States Championship.

MVP talked up The All Mighty on commentary as these two fought over who might battle the United States champion next. Lee absolutely stopped Riddle in his tracks with pure power. The Original Bro legitimately looked frazzled by the punches and forearms of The Limitless One.

Riddle found his stride with a series of Brotons and then battled out of a Spirit Bomb into a triangle choke. Lee barely escaped and then planted The Original Bro running with a Spirit Bomb to win.

The All Mighty attacked The Limitless One from behind, planted Lee with a spinebuster and then took out Riddle with the Hurt Lock. Lashley took the steel steps and blasted Lee with them.

WWE announced Lashley vs. Lee vs. Riddle at WWE Elimination Chamber at the end of the night.

          

Result

Lee def. Riddle by pinfall.

           

Grade

B

            

Analysis

Riddle vs. Lee made for a far more fascinating match than it had any right to be. With no build, the two told a strong story of men with a shared desire to be the next challenger to Lashley. The Limitless One got to dominate The Original Bro as Riddle used his technical offense to stay in the fight.

Lashley vs. Lee is a big-time match that WWE should not waste. The Limitless One is the only man left standing who could defeat The All Mighty. If WWE can be patient, that is a huge midcard WrestleMania bout.

Tables: Nia Jax (w/ Shayna Baszler) vs. Lana (w/ Naomi)

6 OF 7

Lana was confident and focused, standing alongside her friend Naomi. However, Nia Jax quickly took away all that confidence. She stretched Lana's injured leg with a stretch muffler followed by smacking her into the steel post.

The Ravishing Russian used a headscissors to force The Irresistible Force onto the apron and then dodged a leg drop, letting Jax hurt herself. Jax was not ready for Lana to push her straight through a table to win.

Shayna Baszler attacked Lana, but Naomi made the save. She knocked The Queen of Spades out of the ring and taunted Baszler into an impromptu match.

Baszler dominated The Glow early, stomping on her left elbow with violent intent. However, The Queen of Spades got distracted by attacking Lana, allowing Naomi to recover and catch her with a leg-trap pinfall to win.

          

Result

Lana def. Jax by sending her through a table; Naomi def. Baszler by pinfall.

           

Grade

C-

            

Analysis

Lana vs. Jax was a culmination of months of build. The Ravishing Russian finally sent The Irresistible Force through a table. It was a bad match, especially since Jax seemed consistently off, but the end result worked for paying off Lana's revenge.

It is time to move on, but first WWE has to make a decision. Do Jax and Baszler remain champions, or do Naomi and Lana dethrone them? Both options can work, but neither fosters much excitement.

It would be more interesting if the women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic winners got that opportunity. At this point, NXT has built more of a women's tag team division in a few weeks than Raw and SmackDown have over two years.

Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton

7 OF 7

Raw showed a vignette on the history of Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre before the main event. That history was on display right away as the two went for an RKO and Claymore, but both dodged.

Sheamus arrived to mock his former friend, watching McIntyre get thrown from steel post to steel post. The Viper slammed the back of the WWE champion onto the announce table. As McIntyre struggled to get back in the fight, a superplex nearly gave Orton the victory.

The WWE champion began to find his stride through sheer force of will, but The Celtic Warrior ran in and Brogue Kicked Orton, causing a disqualification. Afterward, McIntyre caught Sheamus with a Claymore to stand tall.

          

Result

Orton def. McIntyre by DQ.

           

Grade

B-

            

Analysis

Especially without any awkward stipulations, Orton and McIntyre always deliver. The two have impressive chemistry and build a unique match each time around. This time, The Viper was able to dominate McIntyre with the help of Sheamus' timely distractions.

However, at the end of the night, it did not amount to much. Sheamus got involved before the two went beyond their second gear. It seems like this contest should not have even happened if a disqualification was the end goal.

However, DQs are an inevitability with WWE these days. It seems WWE never likes to let matches end clean anymore.

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