WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from March 23

Los Angeles' Staples Center was the setting Monday night for Raw as WWE World Heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar and No. 1 contender Roman Reigns came face-to-face just six days before their epic encounter in the marquee match at WrestleMania.

What went down when the Beast Incarnate confronted the 2015 Royal Rumble winner prior to their championship clash on the grandest stage known to sports entertainment? More importantly, did their faceoff result in their first physical confrontation to date?

Rusev left John Cena lying in a heap prior to their United States Championship match this Sunday, Bray Wyatt had a few compelling words for the WWE Universe ahead of his bout with Undertaker and Seth Rollins managed to escape The Viper's strike.

World Wrestling Entertainment picked the perfect time to focus attention on the WrestleMania card, delivering solid build to the night's marquee bouts while shining some much-needed spotlight on the undercard.

With one of the final stops on the road to Santa Clara and this Sunday's four-hour sports-entertainment spectacular, relive everything that went down as Raw went Hollywood for its March 23 episode.

Sting Kicks Off Raw

Sting kicked off this week's show, vowing to bring Triple H down when they meet at WrestleMania.

Stephanie McMahon interrupted, reminded the fans that Sting was part of the losing side in the Monday Night Wars and even insulted him by welcoming him to the big leagues.

Sting, unfazed, shot back, calling her a spoiled brat. Eventually, Stephanie tried one of her trademark slaps but Sting grabbed her arm, drawing out Triple H.

An impasse was reached as Sting stood tall, his baseball bat in hand, while Triple H retreated, the sledgehammer not enough to give him the motivation and courage necessary to physically confront his rival.

Highlight

"Congratulations Sting. Now you know what it feels like to make it to the big leagues."—Stephanie McMahon with a first-rate burn.

Grade

B 

Analysis

It would have been nice to see a physical confrontation with some heat to it, but the crowd was super into Sting and the back-and-forth between him and Stephanie.

The staredown, with no real follow-up, was the first in a number of awkward endings.

Still, the tease with the bat and sledgehammer could serve as a bit of foreshadowing ahead of this Sunday's match. With both men over the hill in terms of their in-ring prime, do not be surprised to see them lean on bells and whistles such as weapons use to deliver the quality match fans are expecting to see.

Dean Ambrose and R-Truth vs. Stardust and Luke Harper

Dean Ambrose and R-Truth formed a cohesive unit Monday night as they squared off in the first of two segments devoted to hyping the IC title match at WrestleMania.

Harper and Stardust isolated their opponents on more than one occasion before Truth caught the latter with a heel kick to pick up the win.

Bad News Barrett, who had served as guest commentator, stormed off in disgust.

Result

Dean Ambrose and R-Truth defeated Stardust and Luke Harper. 

Grade

C

Analysis

There was nothing about this match that was different from any other tag bout involving this group of guys on the road to WrestleMania, but it did get all four on television, delivered some solid hype to the Ladder match and allowed Truth to get some shine after weeks of entertaining performances.

Barrett storming off without doing anything of note was another case of WWE Creative doing little to make him interesting or compelling heading into what should be the biggest title defense of his career.

10-Man Tag Team Match

Ryback, Zack Ryder, the Prime Time Players and Erick Rowan battled The Miz, Damien Mizdow, The Ascension and Adam Rose in a big 10-man tag match to further the hype for Sunday's Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

A nondescript tag match culminated with Ryback getting the hot tag from Ryder and running over The Miz, pinning him following Shell Shocked. 

Result

Ryback, Ryder, Rowan and the Prime Time Players defeated The Miz, Mizdow, The Ascension and Rose.

Grade

C-

Analysis

There was nothing wrong with the match itself, but what a difference a year makes.

Whereas the battle royal on last year's show was one of the more hyped and important matches on the card, thanks to Hulk Hogan's involvement and Andre the Giant's name value, this year's bout is an afterthought full of afterthoughts, a meaningless match for a meaningless trophy, as established as such by the manner in which WWE Creative failed Cesaro in the wake of last year's bout.

Ryback's win and Damien Mizdow's overwhelming popularity cement them as favorites to win the contest.

Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins and J&J Security

The WWE Universe may have voted to see Randy Orton battle Seth Rollins and J&J Security in a Handicap match, but if they were hoping to see The Viper get his hands on Rollins, they were majorly disappointed.

Orton punished and bullied Jamie Noble and Joey Mercury, all the while focusing on Rollins and potentially getting his hands on the former Architect.

That did not happen, however, as Orton finished Noble with the RKO, all the while staring down a Rollins all too eager to get up the ramp and out of harm's way. 

Result

Randy Orton defeated Seth Rollins, Jamie Noble and Joey Mercury.

Grade

B+

Analysis

There was nothing flashy or exciting about the latest chapter in the build to Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins, but it was a bit of excellent old-school booking.

Rollins is such a slimy, opportunistic heel that it made perfect sense that he would want to avoid sharing the ring with Orton when he is going to have to do the same this weekend. That he sacrificed his personal security only made his performance Monday night that much better.

All in all, fans will be chomping at the bit to see Orton deliver a beating to the most despicable full-time heel on the roster, and for that reason alone, the booking was incredibly effective.

WWE Divas Championship Match: Paige vs. Nikki Bella

The Bella Twins entered Raw with a plan to divide and conquer WrestleMania opponents Paige and AJ Lee, forcing them to choose between themselves which one would challenge Nikki for the WWE Divas Championship.

Paige was the lucky recipient and worked with the champion to deliver a stellar Divas bout Monday night.

After delivering her Ram-Paige finisher, it appeared as though the native of Norwich, England, would collect her third Divas title. Unfortunately, an inadvertent elbow from AJ led to Nikki delivering the Rack Attack and retaining her title.

After the bout, dissension between "frenemies" Paige and AJ boiled over, and they brawled, much to the satisfaction of the Bellas, whose prospects of winning at WrestleMania became much brighter.

Result

Nikki Bella defeated Paige.

Grade

A+

Analysis

This was not just a strong angle for the Divas, this was a strong wrestling angle, period.

The manipulative heel Bella Twins got their wish, despite AJ knowing full well what they were trying to do. That it proved successful because of an error on Lee's part was even better, and now, the babyfaces are forced to reconcile and get on the same page in just six days or risk losing on the biggest stage known to sports entertainment.

It was a great plot device for a feud that has completely flown under the radar in the man's world that is WWE.

Axelmania Runs Out of Steam

Snoop Dog returned to Raw Monday night but soon found himself interrupted by Curtis Axel, who continued to beat the drum for Axelmania.

This time, he would be one-upped by the appearance of Hulk Hogan, who popped the Los Angeles crowd and teamed up with Snoop to send Axel sailing over the ropes and to the arena floor.

Hogan and Snoop posed to end the segment.

Highlight

Hogan making an unscheduled, unadvertised appearance to the delight of the WWE Universe was a great surprise. 

Grade

A

Analysis

This was harmless fun and a great use of Snoop Dog, who looked to be having the time of his life watching Hogan work.

The Axelmania gimmick has been one of the unexpected highlights of recent episodes of Raw and SmackDown, and this was a phenomenal way to pay it off and get Axel some well-deserved exposure with one of the greatest icons in industry history.

Los Matadores and El Torito vs. Tyson Kidd, Cesaro and Natalya

In a rematch from SmackDown, WWE Tag Team champions Cesaro and Tyson Kidd teamed with Natalya to meet Los Matadores and El Torito.

Avenging the loss he suffered to the third-generation Diva on Thursday, El Torito countered a powerbomb with a subset flip, scoring the pinfall victory for his team.

After the match, an upset Kidd blamed his wife for the loss. 

Result

Los Matadores and El Torito defeated Tyson Kidd, Cesaro and Natalya.

Grade

D

Analysis

This is the one instance during the first three quarters of Monday's broadcast where the hype for a match on the WrestleMania card fell flat.

The WWE tag titles are on the line Sunday during the pre-show festivities as Kidd and Cesaro defend against Los Matadores, The New Day and The Usos in a Fatal 4-Way match.

Instead of putting the focus on the teams themselves, WWE Creative could not help but book comedy, with El Torito again figuring heavily into the contest. Poor Natalya, one of the most talented females in the business, found herself doing the job for a sideshow act who remains one of the only reasons the Los Matadores gimmick is still over.

The only bright spot in the entire ordeal is that Natalya continued to play the role of Sable to perfection, looking completely sympathetic as she was berated by Kidd during the match and then blamed for the defeat afterward.

Jack Swagger vs. Rusev

In what has developed into the most one-sided rivalry in pro wrestling, Jack Swagger battled United States champion Rusev in a non-title match Monday night.

Swagger again proved no match for the Bulgarian Brute, falling prey to The Accolade and having no other choice but to submit.

Afterward, Rusev refused to break the hold, drawing out Cena, who quickly found himself on the receiving end of a brutal and violent assault at the hands of his rival.

Rusev concluded his attack by trapping Cena in The Accolade while on top of the announce table and then standing tall inside the squared circle, the Russian flag hanging behind him.

Result

Rusev defeated Jack Swagger.

Grade

A+

Analysis

The match between Rusev and Swagger was a complete afterthought in comparison to the beatdown that ensued afterward.

Following the assault of Cena, Rusev looks like an unbeatable force of nature, comparable only to Brock Lesnar.

He brutalized Cena and left him lying in a heap, creating questions about his ability to conquer the super athlete and take the United States title. 

While the outcome of their WrestleMania match may not be in doubt, striking that bit of doubt in the eyes of the casual audience was the perfect way to put the finishing touches on the build to this weekend's blockbuster match.

Bray Wyatt Promo

Bray Wyatt had a few final words for Undertaker before their upcoming clash Monday night.

He promised to prove himself the new face of fear as lightning flashed and thunder sounded throughout the arena, confirmation of Wyatt's claims. 

The Reaper of Souls then assured Undertaker that come this Sunday's event, he will finally be able to rest in peace. 

Highlight

"I will take my place among the gods as the new face of fear!"—Wyatt.

Grade

A+

Analysis

This is how one goes about crafting a feud when one of the two performers involved is not available to appear on television.

Wyatt, when motivated, is one of the most compelling and captivating talkers in the history of professional wrestling, and he proved why Monday night with a strong, impassioned promo that sold his match with Undertaker on a single line and some parlor tricks.

While the likelihood that the match itself steals the show or is anything truly special from an in-ring standpoint may be somewhat limited, do not be surprised if fans are talking about Wyatt breaking out in the wake of this year's biggest and most important event.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Daniel Bryan

On the heels of an outstanding fall during last Thursday's Gauntlet match, Dolph Ziggler and Daniel Bryan squared off in singles competition Monday night, with Dean Ambrose serving as guest referee, a decision reached following a WWE App vote.

Ziggler and Bryan traded control of the mat, wrestling a highly competitive and incredibly even match before the Showoff caught a charging Bryan with a superkick and scored the win off the Zig Zag.

After the match, the victor ate Dirty Deeds from Ambrose before everyone involved in Sunday's Ladder match hit the ring.

Ladders became involved, and, ultimately, all Superstars were left lying to close out the segment. 

Result

Dolph Ziggler pinned Daniel Bryan.

Grade

B-

Analysis

Ziggler's second consecutive win over Bryan all but ensures that he will not leave Levi's Stadium with the Intercontinental Championship.

Their match Monday night failed to live up to lofty expectations, but it was never meant to. What it was supposed to do was bring more attention to the Ladder match, eat up television time and give fans a quality main event.

It did just that.

Unfortunately, the segment ended awkwardly, with all seven competitors lying unconscious rather than one establishing himself as a favorite to walk away with the gold. Stardust or Harper, who have been afterthoughts throughout the build, could have used some shine here.

Instead, WWE Creative opted to book a conclusion that it felt would create an air of mystery ahead of the big match.

The execution was less-than-stellar, however.

Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar Come Face-to-Face

In what was the final hype for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship clash between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman stole the show with a phenomenal promo in which he passionately described the manner in which Lesnar will decimate, destroy, pummel and eviscerate Reigns come WrestleMania, en route to retaining his title.

Reigns rebuttal?

Stealing the WWE title away from Lesnar like a jealous third-grader and then playing tug-o-war with him to close out the show. 

Highlight

"Brock Lesnar is an intensely passionate performer who enjoys being WWE World Heavyweight champion almost as much as he likes beating the ass of anyone put before him."—Heyman.

Grade

B

Analysis

The conclusion of this show could not have possibly been worse for Roman Reigns.

Not only did he look like a complete chump by walking to the ring and then grabbing the WWE Championship from Brock Lesnar like a petulant child, Paul Heyman managed to convince fans to cheer the idea of watching the Beast Incarnate destroy the supposed face of WWE's future.

WWE Creative ruined any chance it had of convincing fans to cheer Reigns ahead of the main event this Sunday night and is now in a position where itshould strongly consider keeping the heavyweight title on a guy with a part-time schedule.

This was an awful, awful use of the last opportunity to put heat on the contest and present Reigns as a competitor worth getting behind come WrestleMania.

The above grade reflects Heyman's extraordinary promo, which may rank as one of his finest ever when all is said and done.