Welcome to the Raw review for March 18, 2019. For this and Smackdown, I will go over the talking points and pick the match of the night.
The Final Opponent
Kurt Angle finally announced who he would face at Wrestlemania for his last match. The choice was Baron Corbin. While some may see this as a letdown, it makes perfect sense. Ever since Corbin was put in the position as constable, he has made Angle’s life hell on Raw. Angle will want to get his revenge and Corbin will be hated by the New York Crowd. The fact that Corbin can bring out the best in Angle is most assuredly a plus
Out of Retirement
The way things were going, it seemed that as recently as last week that Natalya and Beth Phoenix would face Tamina and Nia Jax at Wrestlemania. Things took a turn when the reformed Divas of Doom stepped to Bayley and Sasha Banks. They issued a challenge for Wrestlemania and the Tag Team belts. Phoenix also announced that she is out of retirement. A match between Banks and Natalya resulted from the confrontation, but it was interrupted by Jax and Tamina. Who will challenge for the Tag Team Championships?
The Interview
An eerily calm Batistia was interviewed by Michael Cole. Asked why he wanted to fight Triple H so badly, Batistia claimed that Triple H had always used him and others because he was insecure about himself. Batistia promised to end Triple H’s in ring career at Wrestlemaina before abruptly ending the interview. After the fireworks of last week, this promo worked much better. The biggest takeaway was the question of who exactly Batistia was talking about: Triple H or himself.
Match of the Night
Kurt Angle vs. Chad Gable (Angle wins by submission)
As the farewell tour continues, it has allowed Angle to have matches with superstars he would never have faced. Case in point tonight, it was Chad Gable who lately has been in tag team wrestling. These two fantastic ring wrestlers had a damn good match, focusing less on splashy moves and more of on the mat wrestling. Angle won, but Gable looked great. It’s also awesome to see the respect the crowd gave Angle as he moves closer to his last match.
Conclusion
Finn Balor and Braun Strowman defeated Bobby Lashley and Lio Rush. Rousey beat Dana Brooke. Ricochet beat Jinder Mahl. Crews beat Corbin. Elias beat No Way Jose. McIntyre beat Rollins.
