WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from March 27

Credit: WWE.com

WWE Raw crammed the final chapters of the WrestleMania 33 build to varying degrees of success on Monday night.

Seth Rollins and Triple H's rivalry thrived as they barked at each other, filling the holes of their narrative with backstory and raw emotion. Simplicity powered the Cruiserweight Championship feud. A strong image aided the road to the Raw Women's Championship match.

Sami Zayn punched his ticket to Sunday's pay-per-view in dramatic fashion after not being on the card to this point.

For both Roman Reigns vs. Undertaker and Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg, big moments unfolded in Philadelphia, but as part of incomplete stories. WWE doesn't have another week to add depth to Reigns' battle with The Deadman, though. We won't see any more altercations between Lesnar and Goldberg until The Show of Shows.

How effective were Monday's matches and confrontations in garnering momentum ahead of the massive event? What bouts benefited from what went down in Philly?

The following is a look at Raw, from Bayley's opening remarks to The Beast Incarnate taking a shot to the ribs.

The announcers noted that the Raw Women's Championship Fatal 4-Way bout at WrestleMania would be an elimination match.

Bayley talked about the PPV and what it means for her. Charlotte Flair emerged to tear down the champ. The Queen claimed Sasha Banks would betray her.

The Boss arrived to defend herself.

Nia Jax soon followed, joining the fray. She dismissed her foes, promising to eliminate them all at WrestleMania.

Banks brawled with Flair; Jax clashed with Bayley.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "Did you really dream about going to WrestleMania as paper champion?"—Flair to Bayley.
• "There are a few things legit left about 'The Boss,' but one of them isn't your friendship."—Flair
• Fans interrupt the segment with "CM Punk!" chants.

Grade

C

Analysis

Bayley hasn't yet hit a championship level on her promos. She was awkward here, her speech lacking oomph. Thanks to her forceful enunciation, Flair wasn't much better.

The most notable part of this was Flair planting seeds in Bayley's head about Banks backstabbing her. This is one of the most intriguing elements of this match, and WWE was smart to play it up ahead of WrestleMania.

Banks grounded Flair early on. The Boss was able to evade Jax for a bit, as well.

The heels took over by overwhelming Bayley, keeping her in their corner. Jax and Flair took control of Banks afterward.

The Queen focused on Banks' back. She bent her archrival over her knee and wrenched her body.

Bayley charged back. Despite hurting her leg, she was able to nail Flair with a Bayley-to-Belly Suplex.

Jax attacked the faces and Flair after the bell.

Result

Bayley and Banks win via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Jax rams Banks off the ring apron.
• Flair and Jax collide in the corner.
• "Nia blasting through The Queen!"—Michael Cole.

Grade

B+

Analysis

An exciting energy here suggested a fun match at The Show of Shows.

The foes all had solid chemistry with each other. The heels got to shine early; the faces were the stars near the climax. Bayley looked plenty gutsy, and WWE did well to play up her alliance with The Boss.

The final image of Jax grinning while holding the title as her enemies lay flat on the canvas behind her was powerful. She's not likely to win at WrestleMania, but this moment foreshadowed that possibility.

Neville sat in on commentary as his WrestleMania opponent Austin Aries went to work against Noam Dar.

Aries began the contest by blasting Dar and glaring at Neville. The Scottish Supernova bounced back briefly. Aries, though, manhandled his foe with methodical offense.

He clamped on Last Chancery after eyeing Neville again.

Result

Aries wins via submission.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "Why am I so confident? Have you not been watching 205 Live for the past few months?"—Neville.
• Aries takes out Dar with a suicide dive.
• "And I don't like your face!"—Alicia Fox to Aries at ringside.

Grade

B-

Analysis

A solid WrestleMania warm-up for Aries. He showed off his aggression and striking power, making a clear statement to the champion.

Neville got in some good verbal work at the announce desk.

It's too bad WWE won't make this a more high-profile feud. The commentators announced the Cruiserweight Championship match will happen on the WrestleMania pre-show. This could be legit show-stealing material otherwise.

Triple H warned Rollins that if he attacked him, their WrestleMania match would be off.

The Game explained the company wouldn't be held accountable for whatever happened to him during their bout. He promised to destroy him in the ring.

With The Architect brooding in front of him, Triple H talked about their past, being wealthy and wanting to leave Rollins injured again.

Rollins recalled the sacrifices he made to join Triple H. He said his story was one of redemption.

The Game responded by attacking Rollins. The babyface, though, was able to fend off his rival using his crutch as a weapon.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "When you sign this document, it means that you give up all your rights!"—Triple H.
• "If you ain't making enemies, you ain't making money."—Triple H.
• "You can walk into WrestleMania, but you can bet your ass you ain't walkin' out!"—Triple H.
  
• "I didn't mind wrestling for a hot dog and a handshake."—Rollins.
• "You better be prepared to tear my leg off my body."—Rollins.

Grade

A

Analysis

In the past few weeks, Rollins vs. Triple H has become one of WrestleMania's best stories.

Each man's goal is clear. Rollins is on a quest to redeem himself. Triple H desires to erase his former protege. They drove home those motivations in powerful, emotional promos here.

The action afterward created more pathos for Rollins and teased a look at how vile The Game is.

The performers and WWE have done well to cram a hearty amount of narrative into a short space with this rivalry of late.

Big Show quickly eliminated Jinder Mahal, Bo Dallas and The Shining Stars.

Goldust, R-Truth, Curtis Axel and others teamed up to take out the big man. He pushed around his foes afterward, urging them to come at him.

Braun Strowman emerged. He refused to face Big Show, preferring to wait until the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

Result

Match ends with no clear winner.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "They're all going to have to wait until WrestleMania."—Strowman.

Grade

D

Analysis

What an awkward way to try to create tension between Strowman and Big Show. It's obvious WWE wants to bill their clash in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal as a meeting of monsters, but there had to be a more entertaining way to do so.

The Over-the-Top-Rope Challenge ended without a winner. No one ever eliminated Axel and others.

And it would have made more sense for Strowman to do the dominating here. We've already seen plenty of images of The World's Largest Athlete devouring prey.

Reigns said WrestleMania would be his biggest match to date. He promised to put down The Deadman.

Undertaker appeared on the big screen digging a grave. After warning Reigns about what he was going to do to him in their match, he emerged in the ring behind The Big Dog.

The two rivals stared each other down.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "I don't worry about mind games, and I don't believe in dead men."—Reigns.
• "At WrestleMania, the Roman Empire will fall. And The Ultimate Thrill Ride will be your last ride."—Undertaker.
• Undertaker materializes behind Reigns.

Grade

A-

Analysis

We continue to see Reigns grow darker, more disrespectful. It's not clear if WWE will go all in with a heel turn for him, but that's what needs to happen. That's when he's most compelling.

The scene had a cool supernatural feel and some fun bells and whistles.

The match feels big because of the stars, but the story is lacking. Repeating variations of "This is my yard" does not a complete narrative make.

Neville struggled to keep Jack Gallagher grounded. The Gentleman evaded the cruiserweight champ, flustering him in the process.

They traded blows, no one maintaining the advantage.

Gallagher used his umbrella, William, to aid him in flight, but it didn't matter. Neville clobbered the Brit in response. Rings of Saturn spelled the end of the bout.

Aries appeared on the big screen. He asked The New Day about their match. A Double did The New Day's trademark gyrating dance.

Result

Neville wins via submission.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Gallagher smashes Neville with a nasty headbutt.
• Gallagher flies from the top turnbuckle with an umbrella in hand.
• "Jack Gallagher, by the end of this match, is going to wish he had a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine that Neville delivered go down."—Corey Graves.

Grade

B

Analysis

Every time Neville and Gallagher get together, they produce vicious art. Their hard-hitting battles need to continue.

The King of the Cruiserweights looked great in a victory that tested him.

It was odd to add the comedic element, though. After the intensity the two matches created, the stuff with The New Day felt forced and out of place. Hopefully, that's not the direction this story goes after WrestleMania.

Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson attacked Sheamus and Cesaro backstage, blasting them with a two-by-four and a ladder.

Enzo Amore and Big Cass talked trash in the ring. When the champs arrived on the entrance ramp, Sheamus and Cesaro ambushed them with a ladder.

A brawl broke out between all three teams. Gallows and Anderson emerged as the winners once the smoke cleared.

Result

The match never began.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Big Cass mimics Allen Iverson's famous "practice" rant.
• "Your bald heads are about to get burnt because it's always sunny in Philadelphia."—Big Cass.
• Cesaro clubs Amore with an uppercut in midair.
• Gallows and Anderson knock Amore off the top turnbuckle with a ladder shot.

Grade

C+

Analysis

WWE teased hard that the Triple Threat tag team bout will be a ladder match. That would add some excitement to what has been an underwhelming feud.

The company has been unable to gain any real momentum for the champs, but this was a good means to increase the bad blood between them and their challengers.

Some fans are going to dream up the possibility of Matt and Jeff Hardy being added to the match at the last minute. That's a recipe for disappointment, however. There's no telling if the brothers are actually headed to WrestleMania.

Sami Zayn bemoaned Mick Foley's absence. He talked about taking on challenges before announcing that he will be a part of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

Raw commissioner Stephanie McMahon told he him he'd have to earn his spot in the bout by defeating Kevin Owens. If Zayn lost, he would lose his job.

In his own backstage interview, Owens said he would end Zayn's career on Monday and win the U.S. title against Chris Jericho at WrestleMania.

Owens and Zayn then went to battle in a slugfest. They fought in the crowd and atop the entrance ramp.

KO left Zayn wobbly and dazed.

Samoa Joe sought to attack Zayn, but Jericho stepped in to fend him off. While Joe and Y2J fought, Zayn pinned a distracted Owens.

Result

Zayn wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "Chris Jericho fans are morons."—Owens.
• "I'm going to turn The Ultimate Thrill Ride into Chris Jericho's ultimate demise."—Owens.
• Owens pushes Zayn off the security barricade into the stands.
• Zayn dives onto Owens off the entrance ramp.
• Owens DDTs Zayn onto the ring steps.
• "Get out of my life!"—Zayn.

Grade

A-

Analysis

High stakes, great chemistry and dramatic, sometimes unsettling violence added up to another PPV-quality match. Never mind that WWE has overused this rivalry; these two continue to come through.

Zayn's entry into the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal could have been a footnote at the end of Raw, but instead, it was a showcase of his heart and the hate that Owens fills in him.

WWE could have come up with a more creative ending than the tiresome distraction finish, but it was smart to get Jericho and Joe involved here.

Credit: WWE.com

Paul Heyman led Lesnar to the ring before he began to hype his client's match with Goldberg. He talked up the Universal Championship's importance to The Beast Incarnate.

After the advocate's rant, Goldberg arrived.

The universal champ speared Lesnar at ringside. As Lesnar writhed on the floor, Goldberg held up his title in celebration.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Heyman calls Lesnar "the extremist who shall derail Goldberg's ultimate thrill ride."
• "My client Brock Lesnar wants that title. My client Brock Lesnar needs that title. My client Brock Lesnar lusts after that title."—Heyman.
• "They should rename the show WrestleMania 33, death of a superhero."—Heyman.
• "Brock Lesnar does not fear the spear because, Goldberg, you can't survive the F-5."—Heyman.

Grade

B+

Analysis

Heyman was masterful here.

He showed Goldberg great respect, sold him as a superhero and talked him up in a big way before doing the same for his client. The promo focused on the championship a ton, something we haven't seen much before this. That helped add a clear, tangible goal to the story of Lesnar seeking payback.

The scene felt unfinished, though.

Goldberg and Lesnar only crossed paths for a moment. Minimal contact and over-before-you-can-blink action have been the theme of this feud. The climaxes haven't matched the hype.

Here's hoping that trend doesn't continue at WrestleMania.