Raw Deal - Raw recap for March 5, 2018

General Manager Kurt Angle shows up to start tonight's show. Ever since he returned to WWE as Raw General Manager, he has had to swallow his pride on a couple of occasions, and as a GM, you have to do what is best for business. Last week, Triple H sucker punched him, and he is not going to pretend everything is okay. He calls Triple H, and he does not care if he is COO of the company. He dares Triple H to face him like a man, and takes his jacket off. Instead of Triple H, he gets Commissioner Stephanie McMahon. Stephanie says that Triple H has not made it to the building yet, then brings up Angle's personal life of having to pay his ex-wife alimony and his five kids. He then says there are not many people like Kurt Angle in the world who have done what he has done. She then says that his past accolades do not pay the bills, and that being General Manger of Raw does. She tells Angle to think about it, and says that it was not like Triple H was provoked. She says it is Angle's fault for that, and tells Angle to know his role and make the matches, and put everything in the past. Suddenly, Ronda Rousey shows up. Ronda tells Stephanie that what she did to Kurt was "enlightening," and that she has the feeling that the people who brought her to the WWE are not who she thought they were, but she is used to it and she will deal with it in her own way. Stephanie says that being part of the WWE that she oversees is not a bad thing, and that she has gotten her dream opportunity to become part of WrestleMania in her debut match. Ronda asks if her contract asks if she can choose her opponent, and Stephanie says it does as long as the opponent is not a champion and part of the active roster. Ronda says she has an opponent in mind. Stephanie asks for a drumroll, but the drumroll barely starts before she says she has chosen Stephanie. Suddenly, Triple H shows up and says this is not going to happen. He tells Angle to take off his Olympic gold medals and do his job, and says that Stephanie is just the Commissioner. Angle says that Angle has a contract as a WWE executive, but a second contract as a Superstar. Since he makes the matches, Stephanie is facing Ronda at WrestleMania. Angle also says that he knows somebody with a second contract in WWE: Triple H. Angle states that he told Triple H at Survivor Series that if he attacked him again, he would come after him. At WrestleMania, it will be him and Ronda vs. Triple H and Stephanie in a mixed tag team match. An enraged Stephanie gets in Angle's face and almost slaps him, but Ronda grabs Stephanie by the arm as she tries to slap him. Triple H gets in-between them to help Stephanie out of the ring, then tries to hit Angle with a cheap shot. Angle catches the cheap shot and both men brawl, and Angle tries to get Triple H in the ankle lock. Triple H boots Angle to the corner, and Ronda confronts Triple H only to be hit from behind by Stephanie. Ronda turns around, the fist having no effect, and Stephanie runs out of the ring and flees through the crowd. Ronda turns back towards Triple H. Triple H goes for a Pedigree on Angle, but Angle counters it and turns it into an ankle lock. Stephanie is now back at ringside, and she grabs Triple H by the arm, dragging him out of the ring. Ronda reaches through the ring ropes and grabs Stephanie by the hair, dragging her back into the ring. Stephanie tries to back up, but Ronda gets her up into a fireman's carry position and hits a crushing Samoan Drop. Ronda and Angle then celebrate in the ring.

Asuka beats Nia Jax with the arm bar despite three attempts by Nia Jax to break the hold with powerbombs. During the match, Charly Caruso interviews Alexa Bliss, who says that Nia Jax needs a win tonight and that tonight is her night. She says Asuka has been lucky and that her luck will run out when Nia Jax ends her undefeated streak and her career.

Chloe and Halle will be performing "America the Beautiful" at WrestleMania.

Sheamus and Cesaro beat The Revival (Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson). (Had The Revival won, they would have face Sheamus and Cesaro for the WWE Raw Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania.)

We see a trailer for the new movie The Strangers Prey At Night - premiering this Friday - interspersed with footage of Bray Wyatt, The Bludgeon Brothers (Harper and Rowan), The Undertaker and Kane.

John Cena shows up. Cena says he is here tonight to talk to the crowd about last week's SmackDown Live. He asks that the fans listen, as he has found his road to WrestleMania and General Manager Kurt Angle has granted him the time to talk about SmackDown as he knows how important Fastlane is. This Sunday at Fastlane, there is a Six-Pack Challenge for the WWE Championship, and there is no way any of his opponents will allow him to say what he has to say uninterrupted, which explains why he is talking about it here. Cena announces that he will break the record for the most world title reigns by a single Superstar, and win a world title in WWE for the 17th time. He says that all records are made to be broken, even the ones that are held very close, as this is his only road to WrestleMania. For the past few weeks, he has been smothered in criticism and told he has been handed the opportunity and has held people back. Cena says he was not handed success; he was handed a chance, and with that chance, he made his road to WrestleMania. He says that he will never be a man who will hold anybody back, and he encourages AJ Styles to make a greater WrestleMania moment and use his rematch clause right away to make the match for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania a Triple Threat Match. Suddenly, Goldust shows up. Goldust addresses Cena as the fans' "leading man," and says he has always had a dream of sharing the silver screen with someone like him, especially at WrestleMania. He then says that dream begins with him stopping John Cena from going to WrestleMania. Goldust admits his dreams have never had that perfect ending, and that his dreams of "pretty little rainbows" have turned gray and "very, very evil." He then says that this ends today. If Cena wants to go to WrestleMania for the WWE title, that is his dream, but he is taking control as his new director for "this epic motion picture." Tonight, he says that Cena's dreams will be shattered, then hits Cena with a cheap shot before the show goes to a commercial break.

John Cena beats Goldust.

Backstage, General Manager Kurt Angle is interrupted by Elias during a phone call. Elias asks Angle to cancel his Symphony of Destruction Match with Braun Strowman, saying it brings the wrong message and that music should bring people together, not set them apart. Angle refuses to cancel the match, and Elias says if anything happens to Strowman, it will be on him. He also tells Elias to get a new strategy, as this match will also have Falls Count Anywhere rules.

It is announced that Hillbilly Jim is the next inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2018.

Bayley shows up. Charly Caruso interviews Bayley about last week. She says Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber were every woman for herself, but what Sasha Banks did to her was hard to digest. Suddenly, Absolution (Paige, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville) shows up. Paige congratulates Bayley for growing a backbone, but says she is still a stupid little girl for pushing back the last person who had her back. She says her life would be easier with back-up, and if Bayley has nobody, she has nothing. Mandy Rose then gets in the ring with Bayley for the next match.

Bayley beats Mandy Rose after countering a roll-up with one of her own. After the match, Absolution (Paige, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville) attacks Bayley, but Sasha Banks runs into the ring and cleans house. Sasha then helps Bayley up and raises her arm, but Bayley isn't exactly thrilled. She then tries to hug it out, but Bayley is not in the mood and she pushes Sasha away before leaving.

WWE celebrates the life and achievements of Eunice Kennedy Shriver to celebrate Women's History Month.

Nia Jax is in the trainer's room icing her right arm when Alexa Bliss and Mickie James show up. Mickie James leaves, then Alexa knows that Nia Jax is unbelievably disappointed after Elimination Chamber and tonight, and says she has never seen Nia give up like that before. She does not want Nia Jax to feel like a failure or that she has left everyone down, and wants her to know she has friends. Even though she is not on the WrestleMania card this year, she will be next year. She tells Nia Jax to be proud of what she has done and pick herself back up. Alexa reminds Nia Jax of what she went through as a kid with all the bullying, as well as the bullying she sometimes deals with now, and tells her that she cannot let this be her downfall or else everyone will lose all respect for her. Nia Jax cries.

It is announced that Ronda Rousey was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame Friday.

We hear from Braun Strowman, who says Elias is sweating bullets due to his Symphony of Destruction Match. He says Elias is trying to get out of the match, but he is not finished with him and he will get these hands, keys and drums. He then says that tonight is the countdown to Elias' extinction.

Elias plays piano on the stage before the next match. Elias also shows his proficiency with a drum kit, then plays his signature as he says Braun Strowman is living in his world and that he will learn that WWE stands for "Walk With Elias." He then plays his signature guitar as he walks down the aisle and sings about the next match. He also makes fun of the local sports town as he says that Milwaukee, Wisconsin sucks. Elias then sings that he is not afraid of Braun Strowman, then asks for a proper introduction. The lights go out, and he is introduced before a light is shining on the stool in the center of the ring. Suddenly, Elias is running out of the match through the crowd. Elias goes backstage and tries to get out of the building, and gets in a car. He turns the key, but the car isn't going anywhere. He looks into the rear view mirror only to see that Braun Strowman is lifting the back of the car, keeping it from going. He runs back to the ring with Braun Strowman giving chase, and the next match starts.

Braun Strowman beats Elias in a Symphony Of Destruction Match after sending a piano down on Elias on the stage. EMTs have to tend to Elias after the match and take him out on a stretcher.

This week on Mixed Match Challenge: Alexa Bliss and Braun Strowman vs. Naomi and Jimmy Uso!

It is announced that a 50-man Royal Rumble match will take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on April 27th.

Bray Wyatt quickly beats Rhyno. After the match, Bray Wyatt says he knows Matt Hardy can hear him, and dares him to show his face. He says that The Final Deletion and The Great War is far from over. Suddenly, Matt is on the TitanTron, and strange harpsichord music plays as Matt Hardy says that the only battlefield worthy of their battle: the Hardy Compound. We see footage of Matt Hardy on the grounds of his home in Camden, North Carolina, and tells Bray Wyatt to prepare for "the ultimate deletion."

The Miztourage (The Miz, Bo Dallas, Curtis Axel) are in the ring for the 3rd Annual Mizzie Awards. After The Miz makes fun of last night's Oscar Awards, the Mizzie Awards are underway. The first award is The Superstar Who Is The Best At Patting Themselves On The Back, which goes to Seth Rollins for his 65-minute performance two weeks ago and Finn Balor for losing the Universal Championship in 24 hours due to injury. (Seth Rollins and Finn Balor cannot accept their awards due to not being invited.) The next award is Worst Decision By The Raw General Manager. Kurt Angle wins unanimously, and Miz says he cannot win because he is "too busy sucking up to Ronda Rousey.". Before The Miz can give himself a Lifetime Achievement Mizzie for being 55 days away from breaking Pedro Morales' record for most days as Intercontinental Champion, Seth Rollins shows up. Rollins says he was enjoying the Mizzies, but somebody had to play Miz off because he was dragging. Suddenly, Finn Balor shows up. Seth wants to know what is going on with Finn showing up, but Finn says he is here to do Seth one better. Miz says he'll do both him and Seth one better, and says neither man deserves a shot at the Intercontinental Championship. Miz says nobody makes losing look better than him, and says that Finn has done nothing since losing the WWE Universal Championship. He then says it takes more than "a hand sign that's not even yours" to get over, and challenges Seth and Finn to a handicap match against the entire Miztourage. Seth says that if this is what it takes to shut him up, he's on. Finn and Seth head to the ring.

Seth Rollins and Finn Balor beat The Miztourage (The Miz, Bo Dallas, Curtis Axel). After the match, General Manager Kurt Angle shows up and announces that The Miz will be competing against Seth and Finn in a Triple Threat Match at WrestleMania.

Paul Heyman shows up and says he is here to set the record straight. He lays the Universal title down, and says if Brock Lesnar allows him to, he will do it again along with the UFC Heavyweight title. He then addresses Roman Reigns' comments from last week, and says that beating The Undertaker at WrestleMania was Roman Reigns' greatest accomplishment to date. Heyman then says that The Undertaker is nothing compared to Brock Lesnar, and that Roman will not be taking the Universal title at WrestleMania. He then announces that he will bring Brock Lesnar out next week. Heyman then address Roman Reigns calling Brock Lesnar his bitch, and says that Lesnar's real bitch is the Universal title. He then says that Roman Reigns "can't have her." He then says that Roman Reigns will have to take the Universal title from Lesnar's "hot, competitive fingers," and says that Brock Lesnar has always wanted to be #1. He says that whoever holds the Universal title is better than all the rest. Heyman then says it is not how badly you want the title, but how badly the title wants you. Heyman says Brock Lesnar will be at Raw next week, and Roman can say whatever he wants to him, as he has learned that he doesn't want to shoot on the mic with him and shoot in the ring with Lesnar. Suddenly, Roman Reigns shows up. Roman stares down Paul Heyman and tells him to get the Universal title, then Paul hands him the microphone. Roman says he said some things last week, and while some of it was harsh, all of it was true. He is unimpressed with Heyman being sent out for the rebuttal, and says Lesnar really is a bitch. He says Roman wants is a Universal Champion who comes to work and wants to be here, and if Lesnar will be at Raw next week, so will he. He tells Heyman that Lesnar can say what he wants, but he had better be dressed for a fight.

Here are the top 10 moments from tonight's show!