Monday Night Raw – February 19, 2024: A Different Way To Work

Monday Night Raw
Date: February 19, 2024
Location: Honda Center, Anaheim, California
Commentators: Michael Cole, Pat McAfee

We are about a month and a half away from Wrestlemania and the big story coming out of Smackdown is the Rock officially joining the Bloodline. That is the kind of change that could shake things up in a major way, but first we’re likely to get a rebuttal from Cody Rhodes and/or Seth Rollins. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Earlier today, various people arrived.

Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre

We actually get a quick hype video for this, which is a nice touch for a match this big. Cody’s headlock doesn’t work so McIntyre knocks him down, setting up an exchange of chops. McIntyre gets the better of things, only to get pulled into a quick Figure Four. That’s turned over in a hurry so Cody makes the rope and we take a break.

Back with McIntyre crushing Cody’s head against the post and chopping away until Cody grabs a bulldog. A powerslam into the Disaster Kick slow McIntyre down and the Cody Cutter gets two. Rhodes’ Cactus Clothesline leaves them both on the floor and we take another break.

Back again with McIntyre grabbing a spinebuster and sitout powerbomb for two each. Cody’s Pedigree doesn’t quite slow McIntyre down as he’s right back with the Futureshock for another near fall. For some reason McIntyre goes up, allowing Cody to hit a superplex. The top rope Cody Cutter gets two more but cue the Bloodline for a distraction/Samoan Spike. That’s enough for the Claymore to finish for McIntyre at 19:42.

Rating: B. This felt like a big time match and that’s exactly what it was supposed to be. Cody losing always feels like a major moment and it’s not like it hurts him to have a loss with the Bloodline interfering. Good opener here, with McIntyre building even more momentum on the way to Elimination Chamber, which he very well may win.

Video on Gunther vs. Jey Uso before tonight’s Intercontinental Title match.

Andrade talks about being from a wrestling family and being used to the pressure. His day is now beginning.

We look at the ending of Cody vs. Drew, complete with telestrator graphics.

Cody tells Adam Pearce he’s fine when Seth Rollins comes in for a knowing look.

Video on the Women’s Elimination Chamber match and the five qualifiers.

Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: Battle Royal

Xia Li, Valhalla, Tegan Nox, Natalya, Indi Hartwell, Candice LeRae, Maxxine Dupri, Ivy Nile, Elektra Lopez, Kayden Carter, Katana Chance, Michin, Zoey Stark, Zelina Vega, Shayna Baszler, Chelsea Green, Alba Fyre, Isla Dawn, Raquel Rodriguez, B-Fab

Rodriguez is making her return after an illness absence. It’s a brawl to start with Valhalla knocking out Maxxine but getting eliminated as well. Rodriguez knocks out Li and does the same thing to Dawn as we take a break. Back with Natalya turning on Nox to toss her out (in the opposite of the Royal Rumble) and B-Fan being eliminated as well. Lopez kicks Vega out but gets tossed by Michin.

Lopez and Michin brawl on the floor until Green gets rid of Candice and Baszler does the same to Hartwell. Baszler knees Chance out and Rodriguez eliminated Fyre, followed by Nile knocking Natalya out. Baszler and Stark get rid of Nile, leaving us with the two of them, Michin and Rodriguez. The villains toss Michin but Rodriguez gets rid of Baszler. Stark is kicked out and Rodriguez….eliminated Green, who was still in, to win at 12:01.

Rating: C+. They kept this mostly quick and Rodriguez is a good choice to send on to the Chamber. She isn’t likely going to win but she can be the power monster who can shake things up when she comes in. It was a nice return for Rodriguez and she went on to win, but more importantly the match didn’t get dull. That’s hard to do in a match like this, but there were actually multiple options to win to make it better.

Jey Uso is ready to win the Intercontinental Title.

We get a split screen interview between Nia Jax and Rhea Ripley. Rhea talks about wanting to go back home to prove that she is different but Nia doesn’t care and promises pain. Ripley promises to show that Jax isn’t good enough and walks off. As usual, Jax’s promo involves her saying “I’m big and I’ll beat you” and nothing more.

We get a special look at R-Truth’s history with the Judgment Day. He insists it was a special moment when they first met, like the first time John Cena tried on a pair of jean shorts. But then it went bad with Damian Priest attacking him, making R-Truth feel as sad as the finale of This Is Us. Now he has DX in his corner though, and then he just walks off. This was the usual wacky R-Truth and again as usual, it worked.

We talk about the UFC/WWE partnership involving this arena.

UFC fighter Michael Chandler calls out Conor McGregor. Nothing wrong with a mini cross promotion like that.

Chad Gable is ready for Ivar.

Ivar is ready for Chad Gable.

R-Truth/Miz/DIY vs. Judgment Day

It’s a huge brawl to start and Judgment Day is sent outside, leaving the other four to do the DX chop as we take a break. Back with Gargano caught in the wrong corner, with a slingshot stomp to the chest getting two. Gargano suplexes his way to freedom though and it’s off to R-Truth, who initiates the John Cena finishing sequence. That’s broken up by Priest, who sends R-Truth into the post as we take another break.

Back again with Ciampa coming back in to pick up the pace with the running corner clotheslines. Willow’s Bell plants McDonagh and Ciampa follows with a dive to the floor. Back in and a reverse DDT gets two on Dominik with McDonagh making the save. Balor and Ciampa collide though and they’re both down for a breather. R-Truth hits the ax kick on Priest and the Lie Detector gets two. Everything breaks down again and Priest escapes an AA, setting up South Of Heaven to pin R-Truth at 15:40.

Rating: B-. The fans were WAY into this one but you can’t have R-Truth pin someone who very well may be a World Champion by the middle of the summer. There is a good chance that this story is going to wrap up soon, assuming R-Truth doesn’t cost Judgment Day the Tag Team Titles at Elimination Chamber. For now though, Judgment Day gets a win to build their momentum back up, which they need at the moment.

We look back at the Rock officially joining the Bloodline.

Sami Zayn says he is hitting the pause button on Drew McIntyre because there is a path for him to Wrestlemania and he will be a champion.

Here is Becky Lynch for a chat. After asking if the fans like her hat (they do so it stays), she talks about how she is going to win the Elimination Chamber to earn the right to face Rhea Ripley (McAfee: “Or Nia Jax.”) at Wrestlemania. Ripley has been on the roll of a lifetime but now there is Lynch, who is the biggest threat to her title. Lynch says she is the best she has ever been but first there is Elimination Chamber. She talks about beating almost everyone in the Chamber but here is Liv Morgan to interrupt, saying she doesn’t like Lynch acting like no one is a threat in the Chamber.

Morgan talks about her history with Ripley, who put her on the shelf for a few months with a bad shoulder. Cue Raquel Rodriguez, Naomi, Tiffany Stratton and Bianca Belair to say they’ll win. Belair says she’ll keep up her undefeated streak in the Chamber but Tiffany doesn’t want to hear it. Cue Nia Jax to wreck everyone because that’s what she does.

Shinsuke Nakamura is ready to make Sami Zayn famous.

Chad Gable vs. Ivar

They start fast with Gable kicking him to the floor, only to get dropped onto the barricade as we take an early break. Back with Gable reversing a super World’s Strongest Slam into a middle rope small package for two. Gable goes after the leg but the ankle lock is broken up with a whip to the floor. Ivar sends him into the apron and takes it back inside for a top rope seated senton and a near fall. Gable gets in a suplex into the moonsault for two, followed by the ankle lock for the win at 8:25.

Rating: B-. This was more of the Gable that has seemed ready to break out for a long time now. He’s basically a slightly smaller Kurt Angle (in the ring at least) and having him go nuts to beat someone is a good way to go. It wasn’t quite a great match, but it made Gable look more like a star than he has in a long time.

Elimination Chamber rundown.

Drew McIntyre is ready to win the Elimination Chamber because he can beat everyone in it.

Intercontinental Title: Gunther vs. Jey Uso

Gunther is defending and we get the Big Match Intros. They start fast with Gunther chopping away and taking it to the floor as we take an early break. Back with Gunther twisting Jey’s neck and hitting a backbreaker before taking it outside. Jey ducks a clothesline and Samoan drops him onto the announcers’ table for a breather. Back in and Gunther drops him again but the powerbomb attempt is countered into a backdrop to the floor. The dive drops Gunther again and we take another break.

We come back with an exchange of chops until Jey has to escape another powerbomb attempt. The spear gives Jey two but Gunther knocks him down again, setting up the top rope splash for two. Jey hits another spear and Gunther is knocked outside, setting up another spear. The Superfly Splash connects….but Jimmy Uso rings the bell. Jey dives onto Jimmy and superkicks Gunther but the Superfly Splash hits raised knees, allowing Gunther to small package him and retain at 16:52.

Rating: B. They may have telegraphed the ending by having Jimmy show up earlier in the night but it was still a good moment with Jey seemingly having the title win. Gunther is so good at making you believe that he could lose the title every time he defends it, which makes his title defenses so much more interesting. Good main event here, and they nailed the big fight feeling of the whole thing.

Post match Jimmy comes in and drops Jey, setting up a pair of Superfly Splashes to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. Multiple good matches, almost everything at Elimination Chamber getting a boost and some solid talking. Those things should add up to a strong show, but the energy and presentation (different camera angles, fresh ways of talking about things etc) made this feel so much better. It felt more modernized and like a sport than a wrestling show while still having what makes a wrestling show work. I had a really good time with this and it’s one of the better Raw’s I’ve seen in a long time. Nice job, but Saturday needs to be just as good.

Results
Drew McIntyre b. Cody Rhodes – Claymore
Raquel Rodriguez won a battle royal last eliminating Chelsea Green
Judgment Day b. R-Truth/Miz/DIY – South Of Heaven to R-Truth
Chad Gable b. Ivar – Ankle lock
Gunther b. Jey Uso – Small package

 

 

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