WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from Feb. 16

Although there were some thrilling moments in the ring, the Feb. 16 edition of WWE Raw isn't the type of show that fans will look back on in order to savor all the great wrestling.

The go-home show's success comes from it turning up the volume on the intensity for the feuds set for Fastlane. Sting unsettled Triple H from afar, John Cena balled up his fists on the hunt for revenge and the night ended with Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns tossing respect aside in favor of scrapping.

WWE added to the pay-per-view's card as well. Dean Ambrose will now face Bad News Barrett. Cesaro and Tyson Kidd are set for a title match against The Usos.

Monday's Raw had his warts, namely mistiming and odd choices. 

In the end, though, it did its job. It made Fastlane more appealing. Much of the credit for that goes to the two brawls that bookended the show. 

John Cena and Rusev Collide

After playing to the Orlando crowd, Cena told the fans that Rusev is not unstoppable. He promised to beat him by taking the fight to him.

Lana and Rusev interrupted, the pair receiving loud "U.S.A.!" chants. Lana laughed it off before claiming that Rusev was the best United States champ ever.

Words quickly morphed into blows. Cena and Rusev pounded on each other on the entrance ramp. The babyface smashed Rusev with right hands, far more aggressive than he usually is. 

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"This Sunday, there ain't gonna be no high-fives. All there will be is five fingers balled up for rearranging your face. This Sunday, there will be no smiles, you will only feel reckless abandon."—Cena.

"This time, there is no coming back."—Lana.

"Your will will be crushed."—Rusev.

Cena hurls Rusev into the LED board.

"You think you're untouchable?"—Cena to Rusev.

Grade

B+

Analysis

Even though this was your standard-issue Cena promo, it held the audience's attention with sheer intensity. This is part of why WWE is so enamored with him. He's hugely dependable on the mic.

Cena only touched on the fact this match was for the U.S. title. That's certainly something that should have been a bigger focus.

What fans will talk about afterward is how much more vicious Cena looked. In beating down Rusev, he looked as if he was heading toward a heel turn, although history says that's not going to happen.

Letting Cena get that much damage in suggests WWE is going with the reverse momentum technique here. It will only make Rusev's win at Fastlane more impressive.

Luke Harper vs. Dean Ambrose

Dressed in a suit, Dean Ambrose sat at a fake news desk reporting that he would get Bad News Barrett to sign a contract for an Intercontinental Championship match.

Once it was match time, he focused on Luke Harper, the second former IC champ he would face in the last two weeks. 

The Lunatic Fringe and Harper's match was 90 percent slugfest. The two men traded chops, elbows and clotheslines in a bout where every strike seemed to have extra oomph.

The big man took control by bringing the contest to a grinding pace. Ambrose, though, kept charging at Harper. They each delivered stunning haymakers and signature moves before Ambrose hit Dirty Deeds for the win.

Result

Ambrose wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

Harper catches Ambrose mid-air during a suicide-dive attempt.

Ambrose hits a tornado DDT that leaves Harper wobbly. 

"Dean Ambrose is just a like a cockroach; you just can't kill him."—John "Bradshaw" Layfield.

Grade

A-

Analysis

This is a really good win for Ambrose leading up to his showdown with Barrett. Harper looked like a beast, and Ambrose was the fearless hunter bringing him down.

Having Barrett evade Ambrose's challenge isn't great for him, but this increasingly intense chase is an excellent way to showcase The Lunatic Fringe until he heads to the main event scene again.

The angle where Ambrose defeats former IC titleholders en route to Barrett is a good idea, but it's something that should have been played up more beforehand.

The New Day vs. Goldust and Stardust

Before the match, Dusty Rhodes spoke with his sons backstage. He seemed to have Stardust in line, willing to work with Goldust again.

Kofi Kingston used his quickness and high-flying to control much of the action. Stardust shifted momentum briefly, but confusion in the ring followed. That led to him getting in the way, allowing his brother to get a Trouble in Paradise to the head.

After the bell, Goldust struggled to stand. Stardust seemed to embrace his brother, but he soon moved to attack him.

Result

The New Day wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"It's common blood here."—Rhodes.

"Cody Rhodes was destined to live in the shadows of his polka-dotted freak of a father."—Stardust.

Grade

C+

Analysis

What a poor way to reach this point in this story. Stardust's turn was anticlimactic, WWE hinting so strongly that this would happen now that it had no element of surprise.

And for some reason, WWE decided to have his big speech to his father play during the commercial break rather than air live. That took a good chunk of the momentum out of the moment. 

Stardust did, however, display his underrated mic skills. He is one of WWE's best when offered a dramatic speech like this.

Kane vs. Roman Reigns

In an interview backstage with Byron Saxton, Roman Reigns talked about having to fight for his spot at WrestleMania. He showed off a darker side, insulting Daniel Bryan and refusing to give diplomatic answers.

Bryan sat in at commentary. Early in the match, he led a "Yes!" chant that distracted Reigns, allowing Kane to take control.

Kane measured Reigns, clobbering him in the corner and hitting him with power moves.

After taking a beating, Reigns charged back. He speared Kane on the outside and rolled back into the ring just before the referee reached a 10-count. Reigns then watched on as Bryan circled the ring with another "Yes!" chant.

Result

Reigns wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"If I was in the Royal Rumble match, and I got thrown over the top rope, I'd take it like a man."—Reigns on Bryan.

"I had one less title defense than Brock Lesnar."—Bryan.

Kane catches Reigns with a right hand in mid-air.

Grade

C-

Analysis

Commentary veered from the action, making a subpar match even less enjoyable. The bout offered few highlights.

The changing relationship between Reigns and Bryan is the element worth noting here. Reigns continues to be more of a tweener than a true babyface. He and Bryan have mutual respect, but their animosity is beginning to bubble over.

Paige vs. Summer Rae

The Bella Twins stole Paige's wrestling gear while she was in the shower.

In just a towel, Paige tried to get Cameron to lend her some clothes. She had better luck with one of the Rosebuds, borrowing a tutu and frilly, pink top. 

Paige withstood Summer Rae's early onslaught and knocked her to the ground. A PTO was enough to finish the bout.

Nikki Bella came out with her sister to trash-talk. Paige, though, cut her off, promising to win the Divas Championship. 

Result

Paige wins via submission.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"Either that or it's a goth Hogwarts princess."—John "Bradshaw" Layfield on Paige.

"The difference between you and me is that I don't need an outfit to look good."— Paige to Nikki.

Grade

B-

Analysis

The grade is more for the buildup than the match, which was nothing special.  The concept was effective, having Paige look dominant, despite her silly outfit.

This was the most momentum this feud has had, acquired simply by shifting the focus to the Divas title. Too bad there aren't more weeks before Fastlane to continue on this track.

Seth Rollins vs. Dolph Ziggler

Seth Rollins bragged before the match about how great and powerful he is, about being able to be president or take over The Daily Show. Dolph Ziggler cut in, mocking Rollins.

The referee ejected J&J Security early on. That left Rollins alone to attack Ziggler. Rollins dominated, but The Showoff kept fighting back.

The two men kicked each other into stupors, evading each other's signature moves. Ziggler hit his Zig-Zag and was seemingly assured victory when Joey Mercury ran in to break things up.

Ryback and Erick Rowan ran in to chase away the heels, leaving Ziggler to celebrate in the ring.

Result

Ziggler wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"I am the most talented performer in the entire world."—Rollins.

"The only thing funny about you is that joke you call a career."—Rollins to Ziggler.

"Tell your two hobbit security guards to step off because I'm about to do what I do best."—Ziggler to Rollins.

Grade

B+

Analysis

It's impressive how much excitement these two men got out of such a short match. Even with as much as they have wrestled each other, they still manage to create electric moments together.

Their mini-feud certainly just feels like a holdover, but neither man is treating it like that. They both nailed their performances on the mic as well as in the ring.

It's a moment like this that makes it hard to argue that Ziggler doesn't belong in the main event picture.

Triple H Responds

Triple H said he wasn't scared of Sting, laughing off last week's confrontation with Sting.

Ric Flair soon came out, reminiscing about Triple H inducting him into the Hall of Fame in Orlando. The Nature Boy warned him not to take Sting lightly. The Game said he was fully aware of Sting's history and his skills. 

Flair said that Triple H isn't himself, that not being a full-time wrestler will hurt him. 

Triple H disliked his mentor's comments and pushed him to the ground. He towered over him, promising to rid WWE of Sting.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"It takes more than some mind games, a couple of parlor tricks, to get under my skin."—Triple H.

"Sting's legacy was built on Ric Flair's reputation."—Triple H.

"While Sting is WCW, mark my words, I am WWE."—Triple H.

"A wrestler's worst enemy is time off."—Flair.

Grade

A-

Analysis

Triple H issued a good blend of putting Sting over and playing up their animosity. Unlike with his feud with Daniel Bryan, the respect for his opponent is clear in his choice of words.

The idea that Sting is driving Triple H mad is a welcome one. It allows Sting's presence to be felt even when he's not around.

The interactions with Flair were awkward at times, powerful at others. It seemed as if Flair missed some of his lines. That held this back from being even more memorable.

The Ascension vs. Darren Young and an Unnamed Partner

Viktor and Konnor clobbered Darren Young and his partner before the match began. The Ascension drummed their forearms against their foes' backs. 

Titus O'Neil soon came out to help Young. They cleared The Ascension from the ring. The Prime Time Players' music played as Young and O'Neil celebrated.

Result

The match never starts.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

The Prime Time Players reunite.

Grade

D

Analysis

The Ascension looked more vicious than they have since getting called up. Too bad, they didn't get more of an opportunity to showcase that skill. Had they beaten down Young more, it would have made more sense to have O'Neil come out to save him.

As it stands, it was a hurried, ineffective moment.

There was no real motivation for O'Neil to come out. This feels like something that WWE Creative put together at the last minute.

Damien Mizdow vs. Bad News Barrett

The Miz asked Bad News Barrett to knock Damien Mizdow down a few pegs. He then watched on from ringside as his personal assistant went to work.

In mid-flurry, Mizdow had to stop fighting. The Miz called upon up him to shine his shoes. Even with the distraction, Mizdow did well. That didn't last, though.

Barrett hit the Bull Hammer for the win. He didn't have time to celebrate. Ambrose ambushed him and tied him to the ring post, demanding he sign the contract for the Intercontinental Championship.

The Lunatic Fringe used Barrett's hand to sign it.

Result

Barrett wins via pinfall. 

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"Book, you got a pen?"—Ambrose to Booker T.

Grade

C+

Analysis

As was the theme of the night, the in-ring action was only solid, but the match had purpose going forward. The Miz got to abuse Mizdow more, hinting at their eventual breakup. And for Barrett, he had to tangle with the nutjob that is Ambrose.

The logic of Barrett's "signature" being valid at all is hard to swallow. That counteracts how fun Ambrose's wildness was.

Natalya and Tyson Kidd vs. Naomi and Jimmy Uso

Natalya and Naomi battled in an even matchup.

Whenever it was Tyson Kidd's turn to step up, he skirted away from Jimmy Uso. Kidd also avoided tagging in a moment that distracted Natalya. That helped Naomi get the pinfall.

Cesaro and Kidd both scolded Natalya for losing.

Result

Naomi and Jimmy win via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

Naomi and Natalya trade a series of pin-combination counters.

Grade

B-

Analysis

Natalya and Naomi looked excellent in a short outing. They leaned on high-quality mat wrestling and the kind of energy that is too often lacking in the Divas division.

This will be an enjoyable feud going forward, a great opportunity for both women.

As for Cesaro and Kidd, they now have official title shots at Fastlane. Getting their spotlight mostly thanks to their connection to Natalya isn't the way they likely dreamed it up, but it will do for now. They can always catch fire moving forward.

Bray Wyatt Speaks

Bray Wyatt spoke as smoke rose around him. He banged a hammer onto a rusty piece of metal as he cackled and called out an unnamed foe.

He spoke of this man (who most expect to be Undertaker) being an empty shell, no longer being fearsome. Wyatt appeared multiple times throughout the show with the same message, that if this man won't come find him, Wyatt will go do the finding.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"Any fear that I once had of you has turned to nothing more than putrid, hateful pity."—Wyatt.

"His hands may have created this world, but mine will destroy it."—Wyatt

"Limbo is no place for a soul like yours."—Wyatt.

"The angel with the burnt wings cometh."—Wyatt.

Grade

B+

Analysis

Another excellent performance from Wyatt builds momentum, but it's toward an uncertain place. The general feeling is that he is talking about Undertaker, but not calling him by name yet leaves these speeches feeling like precursors to something bigger, not as significant on their own.

It does now feel close to the moment that this rivalry picks up, when Undertaker shows up to confirm his part in the story.

Big Show vs. Daniel Bryan

Credit: WWE.com

Backstage, Triple H told Big Show to make things right after the big man attacked Kane on last week's SmackDown.

When the match unfolded later in the night, Roman Reigns sat at ringside, smirking whenever Big Show wailed on Daniel Bryan.

Big Show dominated until Bryan hooked on a sleeper. Outside, Reigns tried to distract him by signing autographs and taking selfies with fans.

The World's Largest Athlete then squeezed the air out of Bryan who had to keep fighting off distractions during each of his comebacks. The fight moved to the outside, which meant Reigns got involved.

Reigns would soon run in to ruin the match. He and Bryan then collided after the bell, a scrum breaking out. Referees had to pull them apart.

They shook hands before going at it again, Reigns throwing Bryan into the stands, Bryan walloping him with a chair. 

Result

Big Show wins via disqualification.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

"It feels like you get hit from the inside when Big Show hits you like that."—John "Bradshaw" Layfield.

Bryan evades a spear from Big Show, forcing Reigns to take it instead.

The crowd chants, "Let them fight!"

Grade

A-

Analysis

Good in-ring psychology brought back the submission specialist version of Bryan. He outwrestled Big Show, a good image to plant in fans' head as he heads for a battle with another foe bigger than him.

The brawl after the match was far better than the match itself, though.

Bryan and Reigns' collision made it easy to get excited about them meeting at Fastlane. The kind of intensity that Reigns showed in this fight will be key to him winning more fans over. He is at his best when he is on the attack, claws out.