Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 2.24.20

Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 2.24.20

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Angel Garza defeated Humberto Carrillo @ 14:45 via pin [***½]
– Ricochet defeated Luke Gallows @ 4:45 via pin [**½]
– Aleister Black defeated Erick Rowan @ 10:45 via pin [***]
– Lashley defeated Truth @ 1:00 via pin [NR]
– Angelo Dawkins defeated Murphy @ 1:30 via DQ [NR]
– Seth Rollins defeated Montez Ford @ 15:10 via pin [***¼]
– Randy Orton defeated Kevin Owens @ 8:25 via pin [**½]

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– Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, & Jerry Lawler are on commentary.

– We open with highlights of Randy Orton’s most recent nefarious actions against Edge & Matt Hardy.

Randy Orton Time: Orton arrives and says he needs to apologize, he’s not a sentimental man but his emotions have become unbalanced. This morning when he arrived, he was told it as 15-years since Raw was in Winnipeg. He was 24 then and on that show, he was the IC champion and punched in the face by a man, one who would save him from himself, someone he loved like a brother, Edge. If Edge was here tonight, but he won’t be because of what Orton did to him. He doesn’t expect us to understand why he did what he did. But what he did, he’s sorry for truly sorry from the bottom of his heart. Kevin Owens arrives and heads to the ring to a huge reaction. Kevin says that he’s been dealing with delusional people for months, and tonight will put that aside, because he has an issue with Orton. He heard what Orton had to say and he doesn’t think he means it. Drop the act and tell us why you did it. You beat down Hardy when he asked so now Kevin is asking. Orton says he doesn’t want to go sown that road, but Kevin says he hated when he saw Edge retired. He looked up to Edge and wanted to share the ring with him, and when he came back, he was a fan and loved seeing Edge get back what he loved. And then Orton took it all away. Why did you do it? Orton says you think you know me? Edge thought he knew him as well. Kevin is sick of talking and wants to fight. Orton agrees, but not right now and leaves. This was a really good opening promo segment with the crowd into it.

– Garza & Vega are interviewed. Garza faces Carrillo tonight and Vega says that Garza will take out the trash. Garza is a man’s man, and will put his cousin where he belongs. And once that is done, nothing will stop Garza from taking the top spot on Raw. Garza hits on Charly before leaving.

Angel Garza vs. Humberto Carrillo: Vega is at ringside. They lockup and Garza grounds things with strikes. They work into trading strikes and Carrillo then takes control. until Garza makes the ropes. He powders, and back in Carrillo follows with a shoulder tackle. They work into passes and Carrillo counters the RANA. The dropkick follows and Carrillo then hits a suicide dive. He follows with strikes on the floor, whips Garza to the barricades and then rolls him back in, covering for 2. Carrillo follows with the high cross for 2. Garza cuts off the back handspring elbow with a dropkick, delivers strikes and they trade. Carrillo counters back and heads up top and follows with the missile dropkick for 2. Carrillo delivers grounded strikes, heads to the ropes and Garza knocks him into the tree oh WHOA. THE PANTS ARE OFF! The knee strike, sling shot suplex and superkick gets 2. Garza grounds things, Carrillo fires back and follows with strikes, kicks and a springboard arm drag. To the floor and Garza cuts him off with a superkick and then back in, covers for 2. Carrillo fires back with a head kick, and they trade kicks on the apron and both are down. Carrillo follows with stomps, strikes and they trade. Carrillo delivers more kicks and catapults Garza but Garza fires back and follows with the moonsault to the floor. Post break and Carrillo counters into the standing Spanish fly for 2. Carrillo up top, Vega distracts him and Garza attacks, follows him up and the avalanche Spanish fly follows for 2. They trade, spin kick by Carrillo and that gets 2. Garza cradles him for 2. They trade near falls and Garza finally gets him. Angel Garza defeated Humberto Carrillo @ 14:45 via pin [***½] This was a very good opener, they got a lot of time and just delivered.

– We get highlights of the Shayna vs. Becky feud.

– The OC arrives.

Ricochet vs. Luke Gallows: Ricochet beat Anderson last week. Gallows attacks at the bell, but Ricochet counters and follows with the dropkick and tope. Back in and Ricochet springboards into a big boot. Gallows follows with elbows, strikes and a backbreaker for 2. Gallows hits head butts. Rights and covers for 2. He grounds things with elbows. Ricochet escapes, battles back and follows with the high cross and running shooting star press for 2. Gallows cuts him off with the superkick but Ricochet counters back into recoil and the top rope shooting star press finishes it. Ricochet defeated Luke Gallows @ 4:45 via pin [**½] Ricochet really doesn’t feel like a guy challenging for the championship in a few days, but the match was solid.

– The OC argues backstage and Styles says a miracle may happen for Ricochet at SaudiMania, and if it happens, he will take the title from him. Aleister Black is there and Styles runs him down. They attack Black, and lay the boots to him.

Brock & Paul Arrive: Paul does his usual shtick and says people have been trying for years to brand themselves. Brock doesn’t need any of that. The fact is that Brock has been the best since 2002, and reigns as champion when he wishes. Brock taking people to suplex City is a rare event so when it happens it‘s special. On Thursday, he lays waste to Ricochet and will give him a beating because Brock feels like he owes Ricochet one. It will be special, and more so than usual. The stakes have never been higher, because if Ricochet wins, he goes onto main event Mania. If that happens, it changes everything about Mania. But if my aunt had balls she’d be my uncle so Brock will end him and that is a spoiler, and will defeat Drew at Mania. You will all realize that Brock will always be your champion. Well executed as always by Paul, but honestly, it’s the same promo with different names just mixed in these days prior to a PPV match.

Aleister Black vs. Erick Rowan: Black is still selling the OC attack on his way to the ring. Black lays in strikes, Rowan mows him down and follows with a slam. He grounds things, follows with kicks but Black counters and dumps him. Rowan trips him up on the apron and whips him to the timekeeper’s area. That leads to a countout tease, Black beats the count and Rowan attacks. He beats down Black, follows with head butts and then bats down Black in the corner. More head butts follow and Rowan follows with the corner splash. Roan to the ropes and the flying shoulder tackle follows for 2. Black fires back, lands kicks and is cut off with the uranage for 2. Black counters the suplex into a cradle for 2. He follows with strikes, kicks and the running knee. The springboard moonsault pres connects and the jumping knee follows for 2. Black mass is blocked, and the Rowan jackhammer follows for 2. The clothesline follows for 2 as well. He dumps Black and follows him out. slams him to the barricades and runs into the steps and takes out his cage. Black back in and Rowan pulls him back out and follows with head butts. The powerbomb to the post follows and back in, Rowan checks on his cage and walks into Black mass and another. Rowan is done. Aleister Black defeated Erick Rowan @ 10:45 via pin [***] They played to the Black injury angle well and it was good overall, but Rowan looks like such a geek unable to finish an injured man.

– Black calls out AJ Styles for next week.

– Interview time for Drew, who is backstage. Charly interviews him and Drew says he doesn’t care who he faces at Mania. He just wants that shot at the WWE Title. It was something promised to him, and Vince anointed him the chosen one. But he’s never won the world title and he blames himself. He got fired, deservedly so and didn’t think he’d ever return. He was angry and bitter. But it fueled him. He had to take accountability and made it back, he didn’t want to be remembered as the idiot playing air guitar. Triple H kept tabs on him, brought him into NXT and he succeeded. It was cool to return to Raw 4-years to the day he was released. He left a boy and returned a man. He won the Rumble, eliminated Brock and did so because he had to because his career depended on it. This was his chance and he took it. He doesn’t care who he faces, he just wants the title to fulfill his destiny.

– R-Truth arrives and introduces Truth TV. He brings out Lashley & Lana. Truth says he has so many questions, but Lana interrupts him. Truth has a match with Lashley and the crowd chants for Rusev. Truth says Lashley is really, really, really big. He’d rather ask him questions and asks if Lashley has seen Sonic.

Lashley vs. Truth: Lashley attacks, works over Truth and follows with a flatliner. He dumps Truth and back in, Truth fires back. Runs through his Cena tribute offense and Lashley hits the spear for the win. Lashley defeated Truth @ 1:00 via pin [NR] Squash.

– We get a Becky vs. Shayna video package.

– Next week, Rey & Humberto vs. Garza & Andrade.

Women’s Elimination Chamber Contract Signing: Lawler is the host. Asuka, Natalya, Liv Ruby, Logan, & Shayna are the participants, but Shayna isn’t out there. Asuka cuts of Lawler and mentions Shayna not being there. Lawler says that Shayna may be running late. Sarah signs, Natalya signs, Liv signs and takes the contract to Ruby. Ruby signs and then Asuka. Shayna arrives and signs. She stares them all down and specifically Natalya. Asuka rants on the mic and shoves down Natalya. She dares Shayna to bite her and Natalya attacks. Liv attacks Ruby, they all brawl as Shayna just stands there and laughs. Becky arrives and they brawl. Refs separate them, but they break free and brawl more. Pretty much what we all expected.

– The Street Profits arrive and talk about getting involved with Seth & his disciples and hype Thursday’s title match. On Thursday, it will be all about the titles as they will win the titles, because they want the smoke. Seth & Murphy arrive with AOP.

Angelo Dawkins vs. Murphy: Seth & Ford are at ringside. Murphy attacks with the knee strike, Dawkins fires back and follows with clotheslines. The corner splash follows and Murphy then dumps him. back in and the spinebuster follows as Seth runs in for the DQ. Angelo Dawkins defeated Murphy @ 1:30 via DQ [NR] MEH…

Seth Rollins vs. Montez Ford: Ford runs wild early on and hits the big tope. Seth stalls on the floor, back in and he takes control, attacking the arm. Ford counters out and follows with arm drags as he grounds Seth. Ford maintains control, they work to the corner and Seth delivers chops. Ford counters back and follows with dropkicks as Seth powders. Dawkins gets booted to the back as Seth attacks Ford. Murphy has been booted to the back as well. Ford cradles Seth for 2, and follows with the high cross for 2. He dumps Seth and follows with the dropkick on the floor. Back in, Ford up top and Seth cuts him off. He slams him to the mat and delivers ground and pound. Ford counters back, dumps Seth and Seth rolls back in as Ford cradles him for 2. Seth cuts him off with the bucklebomb for 2. He dumps Ford, follows him out and powerbombs him to the barricade. Post break and Seth slaps Ford around. Ford counters back with an enziguri, follows with strikes and counters the buckle bomb into a RANA. He follows with clotheslines, the standing moonsault and that gets 2. Ford heads up top and Seth follows him up, Ford fights, hits an enziguri and counters the pedigree into a DDT for 2. Ford back up top and Seth cuts him off. Ford fights, knocks him off and Seth pops back up but Ford counters into the sunset bomb. Ford up top and the frog splash misses; blackout by Seth and that’s all. Seth Rollins defeated Montez Ford @ 15:10 via pin [***¼] This was good, they got plenty of time and Ford got to impress in a Raw singles match.

– Beth Phoenix returns next week on Raw.

– We get a Rhea Ripley video package.

Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens: they lockup and work to the ropes. Kevin follows with chops, strikes and pummels Orton in the corner until Orton powders. Kevin whips him to the barricade and follows with the cannonball. Back in and Kevin heads up top until Seth & his goons arrive and Orton attacks. He works over Kevin on the floor, rolls him back in and grounds things. Orton starts targeting the arm. and keeps Kevin grounded. Kevin fights to his feet and Orton posts him. Orton keeps focusing on the arm, but Kevin hits a desperation superkick. The Vikings & profits attack Seth & company, they brawl on the floor and into the crowd. Kevin heads up top, gets crotched and Kevin fights off the superplex, they trade and Kevin knock him to the mat. The swanton follows and takes out Seth. Orton attacks, Kevin stuns him off the ropes, Seth grabs him and Orton then follows with the draping DDT for the win on a fast count. Randy Orton defeated Kevin Owens @ 8:25 via pin [**½]

Seth slides Orton chairs to finish off Kevin for him. Kevin fights to his feet and Orton bails. Kevin grabs the ref, he has on a Seth shirt and he begs off. Kevin stuns him to stand tall. But wait, there’s more. Kevin gets a table and powerbombs the ref through it. The match was solid as it was designed for the heel ref angle (which I am not big on), but Kevin getting his revenge and killing this young referee got over big.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 93. On the show, Ian Hamilton joins Larry Csonka for a long-form discussion on NXT UK, Mark Radulich helps preview WWE Super Showdown, & Steve Cook joins for a retro TNA Lockdown 2009 review. The show is approximately 181-minutes long.

* Intro
* NXT UK: The Birth, Lack of Growth, & Issues With The Brand: 3:10
* WWE Super Showdown Preview: 1:26:06
* Retro TNA Lockdown 2009 Review: 2:19:10

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

6.8

The final score: review Average

The 411

Hour one started off with a really good promo segment between Orton & Owens, followed by a very good Garza vs. Carrillo match. It closed with a solid Ricochet vs. Luke Gallows match; a good hour one. Hour two started with the Brock & Paul promo segment, which was solid but way too similar to just about every Paul promo ahead of a PPV match. A good Black vs. Rowan match followed that, and we also got a good Drew sit down interview. Lashley then killed Truth to close out the hour. Not as good as hour one, but a pretty good hour overall. Hour three started off with the Women’s Elimination Chamber contract signing, which was fine and the crowd popped well for Becky vs. Shayna. The Dawkins vs. Murphy DQ was lame, but Seth vs. Ford was good stuff. The hour finished with Owens vs. Orton, which was solid and closed with a hot angle as Kevin laid out the heel ref. Overall, Raw was a really solid and mostly enjoyable show, even if the build to Super Showdown felt largely flat to me.