As WWE champion Bobby Lashley and challenger Drew McIntyre head toward their WrestleMania 37 showdown, the intensity has continued to ratchet up. That continued Monday night on WWE Raw, a show that saw both big men in action.
Lashley, who had already put out a bounty on McIntyre's head, lost control of his temper to the point where he kicked Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander out of The Hurt Business. Even having lost the two men who helped him rise to his first world championship, Lashley still found a way to end the night standing tall -- and standing over McIntyre. All it took was a little help from an invading member of the SmackDown roster.
CBS Sports was with you all night, bringing you recaps and highlights of all the action from the ThunderDome.
Bobby Lashley dissolves The Hurt Business
After addressing the bounty Lashley had put out on McIntyre during a show-opening promo, Lashley turned his ire toward Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin, saying he wouldn't be associated with incompetence. Alexander and Benjamin took issue with this, with Benjamin saying he wouldn't be spoken to like a child. This led Lashley to attack both Alexander and Benjamin, laying both out before declaring that The Hurt Business was "over" for the two.
Bobby Lashley def. Shelton Benjamin via submission with the Hurt Lock. Benjamin and Alexander confronted Adam Pearce, demanding Benjamin be given a match with Lashley this week and Alexander given one next week. Benjamin nearly scored the upset after hitting Paydirt, but Lashley kicked out before firing back, hitting two spinebusters and locking in the Hurt Lock for the win as Benjamin passed out in the hold.
There was no good reason to break up The Hurt Business. The dominant heel champion having a stable was great, but the group worked tremendously together. WWE has trouble letting groups -- be it a stable or tag team -- simply exist. The match with Benjamin was solid for what it was, but why would you ever break up The Hurt Business? Grade: B-
King Corbin tries to collect the bounty
Drew McIntyre def. Ricochet via pinfall after a Claymore. McIntyre spent much of the show waiting for anyone on the roster to attack. When the attack never came, McIntyre stormed into the locker room and demanded someone fight him. After no one took him up, he confronted Ricochet, who said he didn't care about Lashley's words but was always up for a fight. After a brief match, McIntyre hit a Claymore for the finish. He was then attacked from behind by Mustafa Ali.
Drew McIntyre def. Mustafa Ali via pinfall with a Claymore. McIntyre welcomed a fight with Ali, leading to the match. Ali relentlessly attacked McIntyre's knee until McIntyre was able to hit a headbutt and a Claymore for the victory. McIntyre got on the mic and demanded Lashley come face him and finish him off. This brought Lashley to the ring, where McIntyre said nothing he does will prevent the match from happening at WrestleMania before saying Lashley's actions prove he's afraid. This led to a brawl between the two before McIntyre drove him from the ring with a headbutt. King Corbin from Smackdown then appeared to blindside McIntyre before hitting a Deep Six, allowing Lashley to lock in the Hurt Lock. Lashley would lock in the hold three different times before the show went off the air.
McIntyre demanding a fight was exactly what his character should do, and the choices of who got involved made sense, escalating from Ricochet, who was battling with honor, to Ali, an underhanded heel who is looking for any opportunity, before finally ending with Corbin, who was exactly the kind of man who would make the move out of self-interest. McIntyre is now in trouble heading into WrestleMania, exactly as the face should be. Grade: B
What else happened on WWE Raw?
- Sheamus def. Riddle via pinfall after a jumping knee. Sheamus had attacked Riddle backstage before the match. As Sheamus celebrated the win, Riddle attacked him and dumped him over the top rope, setting up a WrestleMania match between the two.
- Braun Strowman def. Jaxson Ryker via pinfall with a running powerslam. Before the match, Shane McMahon shared a "fifth grade report card" and a photo of Strowman in a dunce cap, calling it irrefutable proof that Strowman is mentally challenged. He then vowed to beat Strowman at WrestleMania before Strowman came to the ring and ran through Ryker. Strowman announced that he would face McMahon in a steel cage match at WrestleMania.
- Miz and John Morrison premiered the "Hey Hey, Hop Hop" music video. After the lengthy video, Bad Bunny and Damian Priest came to the ring before Bunny dropped Miz with a right hand.
- Randy Orton cut a backstage promo, stating that he should have known lighting The Fiend on fire wouldn't end him because he is not a normal man. Later in the show, Bliss appeared in her playground, saying that The Legend Killer would die at WrestleMania.
- Xavier Woods def. AJ Styles via disqualification after interference by Omos. Before the match, The New Day beat Styles and Omos at a variety of party games. After the match, Omos took out both Woods and Kofi Kingston.
- Naomi def. Shayna Baszler via pin with a roll-up. A host of distractions including Lana, Dana Brooke, Mandy Rose and Nia Jax led to the finish.
- Rhea Ripley and Asuka signed their contract for WrestleMania. Ripley flipped the table into Asuka's face before Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler came to the ring and challenged Ripley to team with Asuka and face them next week, replaying the exact thing they've been doing with Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks on SmackDown.