A post-match brawl broke out at the end of Raw/
Raw kicked off with the Commissioner coming to the ring, addressing Sunday’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. He said that qualifying matches will be held tonight. He also said that the APA will face stiff punishment for their brutal beating of Jack Swagger last week. He said that they would face the Big Show and Mark Henry in a match tonight. He also wanted to know who they were hired by.
The APA came out and said they weren’t allowed to share who paid them, like confidentiality with a lawyer. As for the match, they said that it’s no problem, they’ll just no-show the match and forfeit. Real Deal said he may be able to convince them to show up, by making it a qualifying match for the Chamber. If they can beat Show and Henry, they’ll both be entered into the chamber match. The APA said that works for them, and left.
Real Deal went on to say that before he was rudely interrupted that two other qualifying matches tonight would be Steve Austin against Dolph Ziggler and Kurt Angle against Chris Jericho.
The first match of the night had Cody Rhodes taking on Seth Rollins. Rhodes came out with Damien Sandow and Rollins was accompanied by Dean Ambrose. Rhodes took control early but the tide started to turn. Rollins hit a DDT and was gearing up for a superkick, when Sandow jumped onto the ring apron. Ambrose went over to pull Sandow off.
While the referee was distracted, Antonio Cesaro ran from the back and hit the Neutralizer on Rollins. Rhodes quickly went for a pin and while Ambrose was fighting Sandow, the referee counted the three. Cesaro joined the fray as it was a three on two, until Chris Jericho came to aid Ambrose & Rollins. The three would fight off Rhodes Scholars & Cesaro.
The APA were set to take on Big Show and Mark Henry for the next bout. Faarooq started with Henry and the World’s Strongest Man took it to Faarooq early. Henry tagged in Show and they doubled teamed Faarooq. Faarooq was able to reverse a whip by Show as he tagged in Bradshaw. The two tried to double team Show but Show double clotheslined them.
The APA rolled out of the ring and tried to leave, but Henry and Show caught up to them. Show threw Bradshaw into the steel steps and Henry slammed Faarooq into the guard rail. Big Show rolled Bradshaw back into the ring and gave him a KO punch and got the victory. Henry then kicked Bradshaw out of the ring as the APA limped to the back.
Big Show and Mark Henry celebrated their win but then realized they would be opponents on Sunday and gave each other a mean glare.
Back in Real Deal’s office, Edge told the Commish that he felt good and pleaded for a match with Brock Lesnar tonight. Real Deal said he did have two slots open for the Chamber and said if Edge really wanted a match with Lesnar, he could tag with him in a qualifying match. He thought about opponents and said the two of them would face John Morrison and Rob Van Dam. The Commish went on to add that he wanted a doctor to check him out first, but if Edge was as healthy as he seemed, it should be no problem. Edge was confused, but excited for a Chamber qualifier.
Next, we had Kurt Angle taking on Chris Jericho. Jericho started out like a ball of fire, flying around Angle slowed the match down with his grapples and series of suplexes. Angle went for the Olympic Slam but Jericho reversed it into a facebuster. Both laid on the mat, exhausted, as Rhodes Scholars & Antonio Cesaro made their way to the ring. As Jericho and Angle got up, they both saw the men at ringside. Jericho started yelling at them, distracted, and Angle hit the Olympic Slam and got the victory.
After the match, Cesaro & Rhodes Scholars took advantage of a downed Jericho until Ambrose & Rollins came out to Jericho’s aid this time. The six men brawled in the ring as the show went to commercial.
CM Punk came out to accuse Alberto Del Rio of taking advantage of a commissioner that had a lot on his mind. He claimed Del Rio had beaten a bunch of nobodies, running his record up. Punk said he was set to face Jack Swagger at Wrestlemania but for some reason, somebody took him out. Punk went on to accuse Del Rio of having something to do with it, since he had the most to gain.
This brought out Del Rio, who denied anything that had to do with Swagger’s injury. He claimed he was just at the right place and the right time and on Sunday, Punk will be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Punk says he doesn’t believe a word of Del Rio’s “coincidence” and he’s going to prove that Del Rio is not in his class.
A little Divas action between Lita, Trish and Kharma. Michael Cole said this match would determine Raw’s #1 contender for the Diva’s title. The match started slow as the three eyed up each other. Trish and Lita first tried to take out the larger Kharma. They worked together on some double team moves but found it difficult when they couldn’t decide who would get the pin. Kharma recovered and clonked their heads together. However, Trish went low on Kharma, knocking her down, and rolled her out of the ring. As Lita and Trish battled one on one, Trish hit the Stratusfaction to win the match.
Dolph Ziggler took on Steve Austin next. The Intercontinental Champion tried to take early control with a series of headlocks and a whip into the corner, but Austin countered with a clothesline. Ziggler was whipped by Austin and Stone Cold hit the Thesz Press. He went for an elbow drop but Ziggler rolled out of the way. Ziggler staggered to his feet and tried for a DDT but it was reversed into a neckbreaker by Austin. Austin then hit his elbow drop and as Ziggler got up, he was stunned and Austin won the match.
Brock Lesnar, John Morrison and RVD were in the ring awaiting Edge to start their tag match, when we see Edge backstage talking to Real Deal and a doctor. Real Deal was trying to explain to Edge that he wasn’t cleared this week to participate when the doctor checked him to be sure. Edge kept trying to go to the ring, but kept having to be explained he could not compete. Real Deal said Lesnar would just have to go at it alone.
With that, the referee rung the bell and while Morrison and Van Dam decided who would start in the match, Lesnar charged and clotheslined them both. He then picked up Morrison and tossed him out of the ring with ease. Lesnar powerslammed Van Dam and tried to lock in the Kimura, but Morrison broke up the hold. Morrison was hit with an F-5 for his trouble, and as Van Dam got up, he was hit with one as well. Lesnar pinned both guys simultaneously to win the match.
After the match, Edge ran down with a steel chair and smacked Lesnar in the back with it. As the two brawled, they were quickly joined by the Big Show, Mark Henry and Kurt Angle. Steve Austin was the last to join, and stunned Angle as the show went off the air.
Real Deal vs Roose: Road to Wrestlemania 