It’s time for another RAW In A Nutshell, and this time the Road to WrestleMania, it runs through Rhode Island.
Yes, WrestleMania is on it’s way through Rhode Island, sort of.
Honestly should call it Rhodes Island, since I am all about Cody as we rocket toward Hollywood.
So while we might not ever get a WrestleMania in Rhode Island, we do have the Road to WrestleMania going through Rhode Island.
And it is, or should be, an eventful evening.
Kevin Owens battling Solo Sikoa figures to be our main event, but there’s so much more.
Edge will respond to Finn Balor’s challenge for a WrestleMania match.
Brock Lesnar and Omos will face off.
So much more than that, of course, but for that…let’s get things started.
It’s time for…
RAW In A Nutshell: Road To WrestleMania, Through Rhode Island
Let’s crack open this Nutshell and find out how things go!
Best Match of the night:
source: YouTubeTV, app, screenshot
LA Knight and Cody Rhodes deserves a hat tip.
Kevin Owens and Solo Sikoa was it though.
source: YouTubeTV, app, screenshot
Worst match of the night:
I feel like in some alternate universe, Seth Rollins and Baron Corbin could have actually been decent.
It wasn’t tonight.
Speaking this one into existence, but maybe Corbin is someone who needs to get a few months back in NXT? Worked for others like Finn Balor…just saying.
Star of the Night
I’d be failing if I didn’t mention this one.
Cody had a great match with LA Knight. But an even better promo after…
It’s all ADRENALINE for @CodyRhodes on the Road to #WrestleMania!
Can @WWERomanReigns & @HeymanHustle handle the American Nightmare on the Grandest Stage of Them All?#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/uQiCMpzCV4
— WWE (@WWE) March 14, 2023
Spot of the Night:
Sikoa put Owens through a lot of chairs…
source: YouTubeTV, app, screenshot
Also, not sure if it was just part of the plan or legit happened for reasons, but KO appeared to throw up after the end of the main event. So…they went hard.
Jobber of the Night:
Kind if feels like this was Elias tonight. I mean…poor guy was fed to Bronson Reed.
But…then we had Chelsea Green, and she was served up to Bianca Belair…so take your pick.
Upset of the Night:
source: YouTubeTV, app, screenshot
Gable was certainly upset that Otis has been recruited by Maximum Male Models.
source: YouTubeTV, app, screenshot
Holy Sh** Moment of the Night:
source: YouTubeTV, app, screenshot
Fans chanted it, so it must be true, right?
source: YouTubeTV, app, screenshot
Aside from the previously mentioned botch, the meeting was indeed a spectacle.
Botch of the night:
I will share blame between two Superstars for this one.
Those being Brock Lesnar AND Omos.
source: YouTubeTV, app, screenshot
When Omos went to toss Lesnar over the rope, either Brock didn’t want to go, or wasn’t supposed to go, or…I don’t know.
Whatever was supposed to go down, didn’t go down smoothly. Hopefully it isn’t a harbinger of things to come.
Commentary of the night:
Not a specific line, but Graves mentioned natural disasters during Bronson Reed’s match.
Now, yes, his finisher is the Tsunami. But…and I said this back before he was released, tell me pairing Otis and Bronson couldn’t be Natural Disasters 2.0.
It’s probably nothing…but it’s fun to dream.
LOL Moment of the night:
Now, while he landed in the jobber section, I have to mention Elias here too. His shirt was classic, representing his cousin Ezekiel.
Also, Chad Gable hunting for the missing Otis.
Twins#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/JQmeFavfrU
— WWE (@WWE) March 14, 2023
Noteworthy Moment:
Edge and Finn Balor is official for WrestleMania. It will be Hell In A Cell, too.
That one will be interesting to see when it falls on the card, given that we are in a football stadium and I’d imagine we won’t see that structure get lowered for WrestleMania.
Overall lowlights:
I get it, it’s the Road to WrestleMania, time is short, there’s lots to do and not a lot of time to do it in.
But, it feels like we didn’t get much time for the women.
Sure, we had Trish get beat up backstage, and followed that story through the show. Candace showed up as background during the men’s tag match earlier.
Bianca squashing Chelsea Green? More about Bianca’s build, and it was OK, I guess?
I am not asking for a match per hour…but I feel like we deserved more than that.
Overall highlights:
Edge had a great promo, pointing out that he has been stuck with Balor and Judgement Day for over a year, and he doesn’t have much time left.
That was a great way to justify the Cell.
As good as Edge was on the mic? Cody Rhodes was even better.
KO and Solo was a fun one. Owens told everyone he wanted no help before the match, and he got none.
Probably wished he had some? But I am betting, with Reigns and the Bloodline all on RAW next week, that we get the reunion and the tag title match made then.
After the final bell:
Pretty busy RAW. Not perfect, there were certainly some areas for improvement, but overall, I dug it.
Dom did challenge Rey to a match, which he declined. Why do I think that one drags out until the HOF ceremony?
Overall, good show…but I have a feeling next week is going to be a banger and a can’t miss show…and it isn’t even the go-home show!
