Raw opens with a look back at what happened at the end of last week’s show. Mick Foley makes his way to the ring.
Foley says he wants to personally thank Triple H and Stephanie McMahon for giving him the opportunity of a lifetime. An opportunity he put into jeopardy when he shoved Mr. Socko down the throat of Triple H last week, and for that, he apologises. He says he wants fans to focus on WrestleMania, and with that in mind, for the sake of WWE and his personal sanity….the fans cry “No!”….effectively immediately he is taking a leave of absence.
Foley shows the cards he is reading off of, he shouts “index cards”, and tears them up. He says 30 years in this business and this is what he gets? 10 minutes before he walks out HHH hands him these cards to read. He starts ranting and his mic is cut off.
Stephanie makes her way down to the ring. Stephanie says she gave Foley a chance last week and he attacked her husband. And tonight, she gave him the chance to give a farewell tonight and he even screwed that up in front of his New York home crowd. She says he needed the cue cards because he can’t remember anything. He never cared about WWE or the locker room, he just wants to be liked.
She says she will have to make the tough decision for him. She says she has two words for him: You’re Fired! Reminiscent of Vinnie Mac. She points at the back and tells Foley to leave. As Mick walks away, Sami Zayn’s music hits!
“I’ve got TWO WORDS for you…YOU’RE FIRED!” – #RAW Commish @StephMcMahon just turned @RealMickFoley‘s leave of absence into termination! pic.twitter.com/CKYWUqfCQL
— WWE (@WWE) March 21, 2017
Zayn says what Steph is doing to Mick is wrong. He says she has been wrong but nobody has the guts to tell her to her face. He and Foley stand on the apron and Foley pleads with him to walk away. A “CM Punk” chant begins with the Brooklyn crowd. Zayn says Foley has shown more integrity and class in the last 9 months, than Stephanie has in her entire life. Now she wants to besmirch his legacy because he never became a yesman like she wanted.
Stephanie says while Sami is a good performer, he isn’t on the level to do this. He isn’t even on the level to speak to her. She tells him to go backstage and think about how he will make this up to her. Zayn turns to leave. He stops and says she’s right, the smart thing to do would be to walk away but he’s not about doing the smart thing, he’s about doing the right thing. He says he won’t leave the ring but out comes Samoa Joe.
Joe makes a beeline for the ring and Stephanie tells him to stop. She tells Foley to get out and that Sami will face Joe right now! Joe tells Foley to get out and Sami takes that opportunity to leap over the top rope and crash onto Joe. Sami slides back into the ring and gets fired-up as we head to a commercial.
*Commercial Break*
Sami Zayn Vs. Samoa Joe
We’re back live and this match is already underway. Zayn begins to mount some offense of his own till Joe smashes him to the mat with a right hand.
Zayn gets Joe into the corner and beats down on him for a while. He then goes for the Blue thunder bomb but is stopped and slapped to the back instead. Zayn attempts a front kick followed by a few elbows as he bounces off the ropes. However, Joe remains standing. Joe then slams him to the mat with a quick powerslam.
As Zayn stands in the corner he looks to stop the on-coming Joe with a kick. Joe instead lifts him onto the third rope and hits him with a spin kick onto the outside. Joe wipes out Sami with a huge suicide dive that wows the fans. Joe is in full control as we head to a break.
The ATHLETICISM of #TheDestroyer @SamoaJoe is on display as he looks to take out @iLikeSamiZayn on #RAW! pic.twitter.com/SlrlWWEIFr
— WWE (@WWE) March 21, 2017
*Commercial Break*
We return from the commercial with Zayn in a back breaker in the centre of the ring. Joe hurls Zayn into the corner, slams into him and then spin kicks him to the head. Sami rolls out of the ring and Joe slams him to the joe with his boot. Zayn lays hurt, out side the ring and almost misses the count.
Zayn looks like he’s done for but comes out of nowhere with a huge clothesline. He then climbs to the top rope and dives. After connecting he goes for the cover but Joe kicks out. As Joe rolls out of the ring Zayn looks for the suicide dive but Samoa then trips him as he looks bounce of the ropes.
As they stand outside the ring Joe looks to hit Zayn on the ring post but is slammed onto it himself. As Joe stands dazed, Zayn measures him up and jumps through the corner of the ring from the outside and plants Joe to the floor with a DDT. Sami takes to the corner and looks for the Helluva Kick but Joe lands an STO. Joe locks-in the Coquina Clutch for the win!
Winner: Sami Zayn
After the match Joe stalks Sami like a predator, staring at him with glazed eyes and a trickle of blood running down his forehead.
Later tonight, Roman Reigns takes on Braun Strowman. Up next, we get an injury update on Seth Rollins.
*Commercial Break*
Backstage Mick Foley thanks Sami Zayn for standing-up to him. Sami says he can’t believe Foley is leaving. He says they need Mick and Foley says they need someone better. Zayn is almost crying and says they always say you should never meet your heroes, but he’s glad he met his. They hug and Foley walks off. A little down the hallway, Foley runs into Cesaro and Sheamus, who thank him for everything he’s done. Foley says everyone called him crazy for putting them together, but he knew they could be special. They share a nice hug and Foley moves on. He walks into Bayley and they start to embrace but Triple H walks up and smiles at Foley before saying, “have a nice day!”.
The likes of @WWECesaro @WWESheamus & @itsBayleyWWE wouldn’t be in their position without @RealMickFoley…but @TripleH don’t care! #RAW pic.twitter.com/aBVD6ntf7Y
— WWE (@WWE) March 21, 2017
Cole tells us that we are joined by Kevin Wilk the man who is assisting Rollins with his rehab, He says that Seth’s rehab is going good and calls him the most driven athlete he has seen. He says that although he is driven he doesn’t believe that Seth can fight for a few months. He then adds that if he does fight at Mania, Seth could be in physical rehab again soon after.
Charlotte comes to the ring to face her former protege.
*Commercial Break*
Charlotte Flair Vs. Dana Brooke
Dana begins with a waist lock takedown and begins to work Charlotte in the corner. Dana seems to have started strong and throws the Queen all over the ring and attempts a clothesline but Charlotte rolls out of the ring.
As Charlotte tries to go back in she is met by Dana but she works her way into the ring with a hard shoulder right at Brooke. However, Dana gets momentum again and plants to the mat Charlotte with a huge clothesline and then goes for the cover.
Charlotte goes for a kick but is countered with a double leg takedown. Dana then goes for the cover twice in quick succession. However, Charlotte connects a kick to the head after Dana provides a bit of resistance in the corner. The kick seems to be enough to put Brooke for the three-count.
Winner: Charlotte
UP NEXT: @IAmJericho aims to show the @WWEUniverse the “REAL” @FightOwensFight on the #HighlightReel! #RAW pic.twitter.com/6WMHI8LlYr
— WWE (@WWE) March 21, 2017
*Commercial Break*
Stephanie is walking backstage as we return, and she meets Bayley. She sarcastically asks if Bayley needs a hug and she says no. Bayley says that makers her sad because growing-up, she looked-up to Stephanie but sees now that she has used everyone for all the time she has been on Raw. Steph then informs her that being the Champ she needs to defend her spot every time. She goes on to say that Bayley will face Jax tonight in a no-DQ match. If Nia wins, she will join the title match at WrestleMania.
Y2J comes to the ring, to a massive pop, for an episode of the Highlight Reel. Chants of Y2J rain down in the arena, which Jericho immediately acknowledges. He says he doesn’t need KO because he has many friends in the crowd.
He says that he will show us the real Kevin Owens and points at the Titantron at a picture of a young KO in a Jericho shot. Y2J says that Owens doesn’t look like a prize fighter in that but a fan. Jericho then fast-forwards the narrative to 2014 and points at the Titantron again at a conversation of Owens asking him for advice. He asks Owens to show his ‘real face’ at WrestleMania and cues highlights of Owens’ match from Fastlane. He then goes on to say that he’s not Owens’ friend, he’s his hero.
“He doesn’t look like a prizefighter to me…” – @IAmJericho is exposing the REAL @FightOwensFight as a FAN of JERICHO! #HighlightReel #RAW pic.twitter.com/Uh0X0QRf04
— WWE (@WWE) March 21, 2017
Jericho then says that when his music hits at ‘Mania, it’s going to transport Owens back to his 16-year-old self and he’s going to realise what he’s gotten himself into. Jericho looks pumped as he paces around the ring and lets Y2J chants rain down on him.
He then asks Owens if he knows what happens when he betrays Jericho and lifts his pen in the air. Just as he does, Joe walks down the ramp, while Owens ambushes Jericho from behind. He rag-dolls him and Jericho tries to fight back but is finally slammed to the mat with a pop-up power bomb.
Owens then picks up the list and throws the pen before throwing the clipboard to the side as well and finally shredding and even chewing the list. The crowd boo as Owens walks out.
*Commercial Break*