WWE Raw Results - March 22, 2021: The Final Stretch Before WrestleMania 37

WWE is on the home stretch before WrestleMania 37 and the company announced multiple matches for The Showcase Of The Immortals during the post-Fastlane edition of Monday Night Raw. Matches already confirmed for 'Mania also wrote the latest chapter of their rivalries.

For the first time in what feels like forever, Raw opened with a match instead of a promo as WWE Champion Bobby Lashley went one on one with Sheamus in a non-title match. The Celtic Warrior was already wounded heading into the bout following his No Holds Barred Match with Drew McIntyre on Sunday but he still managed to battle back and forth with The All Mighty for much of the contest. 

Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander headed to the ring during the match, though, and they repeatedly interfered. A distraction from Alexander then paid dividends as Lashley capitalised with a Spinebuster before he locked in the Hurt Lock to pick up the submission win. 

Benjamin and Alexander weren't done after the bell as they dragged Sheamus out of the ring and beat him down on the outside. This only drew the ire of Drew McIntyre, though, and The Scottish Warrior made the save for his former friend and forced the former Raw Tag Team Champions to retreat backstage. The two WrestleMania opponents then had a staredown in the ring while McIntyre tried to goad The All Mighty into hitting him. 

McIntyre's night didn't end there as Benjamin and Alexander challenged the former WWE Champion to a Handicap Match, which Drew accepted after he added the stipulation that they would be banned from ringside at WrestleMania 37 if he won. 

Win McIntyre did later in the show. The Scottish Psychopath worked as the underdog for much of the 13-minute match but he eventually managed to overcome the odds and pick up the win with a succession of Claymores. 

An already angry Lashley's rage only grew following the match and after he berated Benjamin and Alexander backstage, he channelled his inner 2003 Triple H and told a locker room filled with undercard talent they would receive a WWE Championship opportunity if they took out Drew McIntyre before The Show Of Shows.

Beyond his feud with Bobby Lashley, Drew also seemingly has his eyes on a possible reunion with Sheamus. He explained he made the save for Sheamus because he couldn't just stand idly by while two men attacked The Celtic Warrior despite their differences. Sheamus then noted McIntyre's respect for him later in the show but admitted he can't stand the ground The Scottish Psychopath walks on. The Celtic Warrior instead appears to have other things on his mind as he attacked Riddle with his scooter after the United States Champion interrupted his backstage interview. 

Outside of the WWE Title picture, multiple matches were announced for WrestleMania, including the Raw Women's Championship match. 

Peyton Royce followed on from her promo on Raw Talk a couple of weeks ago and received an opportunity to enter the Raw Women's Title picture when she went one on one with Asuka. The former IIconic member looked impressive during the match and dominated much of the action. She couldn't put The Empress Of Tomorrow away, however, and Asuka managed to transition into the Asuka Lock and force Royce to tap out. 

With Royce having exited the Raw Women's Title picture as quickly as she entered it, Rhea Ripley made her full-time Raw debut after the match with a new heel persona. The former NXT Women's Champion acknowledged Charlotte Flair's previous challenge before she mentioned The Queen wasn't there because she's recovering from COVID-19. With that in mind, Ripley took the opportunity to challenge Asuka to a match at WrestleMania, which The Empress Of Tomorrow immediately accepted. 

The next match set for WrestleMania was Bad Bunny vs. The Miz. The two men have been feuding since the Royal Rumble and rumours suggested Bad Bunny would team with Damian Priest against Miz and Morrison at 'Mania but WWE has seemingly changed their minds. 

The match was set up on Raw during the latest edition of Miz TV. After Miz and Morrison announced their latest single "Hey Hey Hop Hop," Miz challenged Bunny to the 'Mania match ahead of his bout with Jeff Hardy. 

The A-Lister then proved he could win without John Morrison as Johnny Drip Drip headed to the back following goading from Hardy and the two-time WWE Champion still managed to put The Charismatic Enigma away after 4 minutes. 

Following the match, Bad Bunny without Damian Priest appeared from out of nowhere and decked Miz with a steel chair. He then accepted The A-Lister's challenge and the match was set for 'Mania. 

Two more WrestleMania matches were then made official during the final 30 minutes of Raw. 

First off, Shane McMahon stood alongside Elias for another live performance and they both sang "Braun Is Stupid." This quickly drew the ire of Strowman, who made his way to the ring for his scheduled match with Elias and he managed to put The Drifter away with a Running Powerslam after three minutes. 

Shane then proved after the match that his knee was fine as he decked Strowman from behind with his crutch. The Monster Among Men no-sold it, however, and McMahon scurried to the back once his rival turned around. Strowman then stated he's had enough of Shane calling him stupid and challenged McMahon to a match at The Showcase Of The Immortals, which the Prodigal Son accepted after Braun questioned if he was man enough.  

Randy Orton vs. The Fiend was the final match made official for 'Mania in the main event segment of Raw. The segment opened with Alexa Bliss winding up the jack-in-the-box to reveal a Fiend-in-the-box was inside all along. The lights around Orton, who was inside the ring, suddenly went out and the horrifically burnt Fiend appeared behind The Viper once they came back on. Orton tried to douse his enemy in petrol again, and once he'd done so, he dropped The Fiend with an RKO. 

The Legend Killer couldn't light the match this time, though, as Alexa Bliss distracted Orton on the apron which gave The Fiend time to recover and then choke Orton with the Mandible Claw before he connected with Sister Abigail. The two-time Universal Champion and Bliss stood over Randy in Raw's final moments and the match was made official after Alexa pointed at the WrestleMania sign. 

Elsewhere on Raw, Kofi Kingston defeated AJ Styles in a preview of the Raw Tag Team Championship match on April 10 or April 11. The tension between the two teams increased before the match after The New Day asked AJ personal questions about Omos which The Phenomenal One answered incorrectly. WWE also found another way to squeeze Reginald onto the show as he was the central focus during Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler vs. Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke. The broadcast repeatedly panned back to Carmella's former sommelier and he helped Jax and Baszler pick up the win with a distraction after two minutes. 

Check out the full results from the March 22 edition of Raw below:
• Bobby Lashley def. Sheamus
• Asuka def. Peyton Royce
• The Miz def. Jeff Hardy
• Kofi Kingston def. AJ Styles
• Drew McIntyre def. Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin
• Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler def. Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke
• Braun Strowman def. Elias