WWE Raw Results, Winners, Live Grades, Reaction, Highlights From Madison Square Garden

WWE returned to Madison Square Garden in New York City for its latest stop on the road to WrestleMania 42.

World heavyweight champion CM Punk and Roman Reigns were under the same roof just one week after The OTC put his WrestleMania opponent through a table.

What response did Punk have for his challenger? Find out with this recap of the March 30 Netflix broadcast, including grades and analysis for each major match and development.

Match Card

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Announced in advance of Monday's show were:

CM Punk and Roman Reigns under the same roof

An appearance from Brock Lesnar

Finn Balor promo

World Tag Team Championship Street Fight: The Usos (c) vs. Logan Paul and Austin Theory

Women's Tag Team Championship: Bayley and Lyra Valkyria vs. Lash Legend and Nia Jax (c)

Intercontinental Championship: Penta (c) vs. Kofi Kingston

Iyo Sky vs. Raquel Rodriguez

Cody Rhodes Kicks Off Raw

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Last Time in Action: Cody Rhodes defeated Drew McIntyre (SmackDown, March 6)

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Undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes opened the show, but before he could address the fans and his upcoming title defense against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42, impending Hall of Fame inductee Stephanie McMahon interrupted.

McMahon discussed being a multi-generational talent, like Rhodes and Orton, and applauded The American Nightmare for taking the golden path and attempting to do things the right way.

Except, he is not like his father. He is not capable of beating this version of Orton, the vile and ruthless competitor. Rhodes answered, reminding everyone that he used to have to check to make sure Orton was still breathing while he drooled all over himself.

After reminding McMahon that she was not like her father, either, and eating a slap to the face, Rhodes listened as she warned him to start thinking like his former mentor or he will leave Las Vegas without the WWE title.

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Grade

A

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Top Takeaways

This was a fantastic start to the show. McMahon has a lengthy history with Orton, including a rather famous build to WrestleMania 25, and knew exactly how to get the point across to Rhodes. In turn, Rhodes needed to have the fire awakened in him to prevent from being booked out of the stadium in Las Vegas as the tone-deaf white-meat babyface. This solved that and did so in a logical manner, with a cameo from one of this year's Hall of Fame inductees.

For those asking, yes, McMahon not being her father is a great thing.

Backstage, Adam Pearce informed IShowSpeed that he has front row seats for Monday's Street Fight for the tag titles and that LA Knight will be a guest commentator.

Street Fight for the World Tag Team Championship

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Last Time In Action: The Usos lost to The Vision by disqualification (Raw, March 23)

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Following last week's disqualification loss to Logan Paul and Austin Theory, The Usos defended the World Tag Team Championship against The Vision in a Street Fight to kick off the show.

The champions dominated early, utilizing trash cans, kendo sticks, and a giant superplex to Theory and through a table to sustain the advantage.

A convoluted spot introduced IShowSpeed into the proceedings and he accidentally laid out LA Knight with brass knuckles, continuing the idea that he was cursed by Danhausen.

Back in the ring, Paul utilized those same knuckles to flatten Jimmy Uso. As Jey took out Paul at ringside, Theory casually draped his arm over the fallen champion and scored the win and titles for The Vision.

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Result

The Vision defeated The Usos to win the titles

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Grade

C+

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Top Takeaways

New theme music for The Usos as a tandem. While it makes sense, it is an energy killer and takes away from the fan experience. At the same time, it lends itself to the recent change in attitude for Jey Uso, who has taken on a more serious demeanor with the return of Roman Reigns.

The involvement of IShowSpeed, his indirect role in the outcome, and the (albeit reluctant) celebration with the new champions suggests the YouTuber may end up involved in a WrestleMania match. Perhaps, a multi-man tag team bout also involving Knight?

The match delivered some crowd-pleasing spots but for the most part, this was all background noise to the angle involving the influencer and the eventual title change.

Liv Morgan Promo

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Last Time in Action: Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez lost to Jade Cargill and Jordynne Grace (SmackDown, February 6)

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After an intensely physical brawl with Stephanie Vaquer last week, Liv Morgan made her way to the ring to address her WrestleMania 42 opponent.

"You're done for, b---h!" Morgan told La Primera, her tone turning angry and personal as she admonished the women's world champion for attacking Dominik Mysterio last week.

Morgan said her mother taught her never to let anyone get the best of her, then made disparaging remarks about the champion's mom.

Vaquer hit the ring and leveled the women's Royal Rumble winner with a kick. When she teased using a chair on the heel, Roxanne Perez made her return, attacking the champion from behind.

Morgan delivered a chair-assisted ObLIVion and stood tall with her Judgment Day teammate to close things out.

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Grade

A

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Top Takeaways

In terms of intensity, this program has rivaled the two main event feuds. Vaquer and Morgan have beat the hell out of each other a few times and the physicality was on display again here. The reemergence of Perez was a nice touch and puts La Primera on the wrong end of a numbers disadvantage. How, and if, she can fend it off and retain her title is the question.

Women's Tag Team Championship: Lyra Valkyria and Bayley vs. Lash Legend and Nia Jax

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Last Time in Action: Bayley and Lyra Valkyria defeated The Kabuki Warriors (Raw, March 23); Nia Jax and Lash Legend fought The Bella Twins to a no-contest (SmackDown, March 27)

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For the first time since the Jumping Bomb Angels vs. The Glamour Girls at Madison Square Garden in 1987, a women's tag team title bout featured in WWE's return to the arena as Lash Legend and Nia Jax defended against Bayley and Lyra Valkyria.

The champions downed Valkyria and worked her over, cutting her off from her partner. They utilized their size and strength advantage to keep control of the bout until the inaugural women's IC champion created separation and made the tag to The Role Model.

Bayley exploded into the match and laid into the champions. As the action broke down, and all four competitors were laid out in the center of the ring, The Bella Twins, then Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, made their way to the ringside area.

The heels laid everyone out before Flair and Bliss attacked the champions, leading to a disqualification, to the dismay of the fans in attendance. The babyfaces stood tall to close out the segment.

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Result

Jax and Legend defeated Bayley and Valkyria via disqualification

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Grade

C+

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Top Takeaways

Bayley is on a hot streak in terms of in-ring work. She may be the best wrestler on Raw over the last two months. Her work off the hot tag here was outstanding and had the fans on their feet.

The grade of this was heading much higher before the inevitable run-in featuring the other teams. It sucked the air out of the building, bring a seemingly invested audience to near silence. The inevitable multi-team match will get all involved something to do, but it will lack the heat it may have had as a traditional tag match.

Brock Lesnar Promo

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Last Time In Action: Brock Lesnar lost the Royal Rumble (Royal Rumble, January 31)

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After two consecutive weeks of being humbled by Oba Femi, Brock Lesnar hit the ring dressed in his combat gear, clearly ready to fight.

Paul Heyman delivered one of his long-winded promos, only for the enraged Conqueror to grab the mic and demand Femi get out there.

Raw general manager arrived with security, attempting to "preserve" the WrestleMania 42 match but The Ruler strutted to the ring, showing zero fear in the face of an intense Lesnar.

Femi obliterated the security and then sent Pearce into the guardrail, showing little regard for the GM's authority. The former NXT champion made The Beast wait, strutting around the ring before finally joining him in the squared circle.

Triple H, king of overwhelmingly negative crowd reactions of late, interrupted the staredown and forced the combatants apart to a thunderous chorus of boos.

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Grade

A

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Top Takeaways

The magic of the Lesnar character is that The Beast has, for so long, allowed Heyman to do all of the talking for him that when he does grab the microphone and speak, it carries more gravity. Case in point: the crowd's reaction to the former WWE champion calling out Femi here.

The fans in NYC may not have been happy about keeping Lesnar and Femi apart here but the more they touch, the less of an attraction that match becomes at WrestleMania. Keep the audience wanting more and they will show up to see what happens when Femi and Lesnar finally do clash. This was Booking 101, but it still works.

In a pre-taped promo, Finn Balor talked about Judgment Day being his family before vowing to settle the score with Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania.

Intercontinental Championship: Penta vs. Kofi Kingston

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Last Time in Action: Penta defeated Dominik Mysterio (Raw, March 23); Kofi Kingston lost to Je'Von Evans (Raw, February 23)

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The open challenge for the Intercontinental Championship continued Monday with New Day's Kofi Kingston answering and squared off with Penta.

With Grayson Waller watching and talking trash from ringside, Kingston flew right into a Codebreaker from Penta, who scored a two-count.

Later, tensions continued to flare as Kingston ordered Waller to back off when Penta hit the floor, not looking to get disqualified in a rare singles title opportunity.

At one point, Kingston caught a flying Penta with Trouble In Paradise but could not keep the champion down. He fought Penta to the top rope, but the champion fended him off and delivered a Mexican Destroyer for the win and successful title defense.

After the match, Penta announced a Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania, with little further detail.

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Result

Penta defeated Kingston to retain

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Grade

C+

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Top Takeaways

Michael Cole noted that a win for Kingston would give him his first IC title in 14 years. That Kingston has not held the title since 2012, when he was synonymous with it, is astonishing.

The match was good, a reminder that Kingston is still a talented singles competitor. It was hurt by the commercial break, but it accomplished what it intended to: put Penta over and further the issues between Kingston and Waller.

Penta, ladders, and WrestleMania? Sign us up.

Paul Heyman Promo

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The Advocate once again stood in the ring, once again with a microphone, and addressed the New York City chapter of the WWE Universe.

He touted The Vision's tag team title win earlier in the show before Adam Pearce interrupted and revealed that Boston Police had dropped all charges against Seth Rollins.

He also added that The Architect is medically cleared to compete, a fact that appeared to take Heyman by surprise. Not as much, though, as the steel chair that cracked him in the back.

Rollins teased a stomp onto a steel chair but Gunther came from out of nowhere, pulled him out of the ring, and put him to sleep before motioning toward the WrestleMania sign.

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Grade

B

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Top Takeaways

It does not matter if there is a story reason or a logical development; Rollins vs. Gunther is going to rule. Two of the best wrestlers in the business, on the grandest stage imaginable, with no complex narrative behind it? Let them cook, dish out all eleventy billion stars, and bask in their greatness.

Iyo Sky vs. Raquel Rodriguez

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Last Time in Action: Iyo Sky lost a Gauntlet Match (Raw, March 9); Raquel Rodriguez lost to Stephanie Vaquer (Raw, March 16)

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After weeks of intensifying dislike, Iyo Sky and Raquel Rodriguez squared off Monday in the final match of the night.

Rodriguez dominated early, utilizing her size and strength to counter Sky's speed and technique. Heading into the commercial break, though, The Genius of the Sky delivered a picture-perfect Asai Moonsault to lay her opponent out.

Back from the timeout, the competitors exchanged strikes, with the babyface getting the best of her opponent. Rodriguez, though, got her feet up during an Over the Moonsault attempt, driving the wind out of Sky.

Asuka and Kairi Sane tried to interfere on behalf of Rodriguez, but they were taken down by Big Mami Cool. That allowed Sky to fight back into the match, deliver a huge tornado DDT, and add the Bullet Train attack.

Seeing Asuka berate Sane, Sky wiped out The Empress of Tomorrow. The distraction allowed Rodriguez to deliver the Tejana Bomb for the win.

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Result

Rodriguez defeated Sky

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Grade

B-

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Top Takeaways

It is disappointing that Rodriguez is going to miss out on a WrestleMania match. She has been remarkably good of late, improving with every passing week.

This was a fun match that was hurt by the interference-heavy finish, but also needed it to advance Sky's story. She will likely square off with Asuka at WrestleMania in a match that could steal the show.

CM Punk and Roman Reigns Back In the Same Ring

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Last Time in Action: CM Punk defeated Finn Balor (Elimination Chamber, February 28); Roman Reigns won the Royal Rumble (Royal Rumble, January 31)

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There was no time, nor need, for words Monday night between CM Punk and Roman Reigns ahead of their World Heavyweight Championship Match at WrestleMania.

Instead, Punk marched to the ring, taping his hand, ready to fight. And fight he did. Reigns and Punk brawled around the ringside area. When producers attempted to get involved and pull them apart, they took bumps, including a spear from Reigns to Petey Williams.

Punk finally got the best of Reigns, delivering Go To Sleep, leveling The OTC. From there, he hoisted Reigns overhead and delivered the same powerbomb through the announce table that he endured last week.

He mocked the "Roman...Roman Reigns" chants and added a few more punches for good measure before standing tall to close out the segment and show.

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Grade

A

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Top Moments and Takeaways

This feud badly needed this. We have seen plenty of talking between Punk and Reigns. It needed to ramp up the physicality, with a brawl between the two. The lack of Uso involvement was interesting in that they were vital parts of the last few weeks of programming, but they had an excuse for missing following their loss earlier in the show.

The New York crowd loved Reigns, but appeared to be more into Punk this week than the audience in Boston was last Monday. It will be interesting to see who the masses cheer for come WrestleMania and how the outcome between them will land with those fans.

MVP/Overall Grade

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The Brock Lesnar-Oba Femi rivalry has been the best part of this road to WrestleMania 42 and this show was no different. Everything about it has been a hit, from the physicality of the first two weeks to the simplicity of tonight's confrontation and the fight that the New York fans were robbed of.

This has been a throwback of sorts to the days of big, hulking superstars acknowledging their beef and setting out to settle it. While there are two more weeks left, one would be hard-pressed to recognize a better, more effective build to any WrestleMania than this one.

A large portion of that belongs to Lesnar, who faced justified criticism and scrutiny for his return, but has worked overtime to get Femi and this program over.

MVP: Lesnar

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Monday's show felt like a major stop on the road to WrestleMania. It was one in which things happened, developments were had, matches were made, and the biggest show for the year feels like it is on the horizon.

That does not mean it was perfect, by any stretch of the imagination, but the aura of Madison Square Garden, and the desire to present the best show possible given the stakes in just over three weeks, made this one stand out among the others of the last month.

Grade: B+