By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)

WWE Raw (Episode 1,557)
Live from Phoenix, Arizona at Footprint Center
Aired March 27, 2023 on USA Network

[Hour One] Kevin Patrick and Corey Graves were on commentary and welcomed viewers to “WrestleMania Raw.” Justin Roberts was the ring announcer… WrestleMania 39 host The Miz made his entrance while the broadcast team ran through the previously advertised matches and segments, plus Intercontinental Champion Gunther in action, and Rey Mysterio vs. Damian Priest…

The Miz welcomed viewers to Miz TV and introduced his guests Trish Stratus and WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Becky Lynch and Lita. Miz asked Lynch what it felt like to know that The Man couldn’t beat Damage CTRL on her own and needed to call in reinforcements.

Lynch said she is The Man, while Miz sounds like a very insecure man who has notoriously tiny balls. The crowd responded with the obligatory “tiny balls” chant. Miz scolded the fans and said his wife verified that his balls are massive. Lynch said it must be nice to know that Maryse didn’t get around much before she married Miz.

Lynch conceded that she doesn’t get along with many people, but she respects Trish and Lita as much as anyone in the business. Miz asked Trish and Lita why they returned just to play backup to Lynch. Lita showed off her title belt and said she doesn’t feel like backup, she feels like one half of the tag team champions.

“Damage CTRL” Bayley, Dakota Kai, and Iyo Sky made their entrance and entered the ring. Bayley said she’s sick of her opponents acting like it’s just another match to them. Bayley took a jab at Trish and Lita being relevant twenty years ago. Trish pointed to Lita’s tag title and said that makes her relevant now.

Bayley said this would have been her dream match years ago, but now the dream is to take out the top woman in the division and two Hall of Famers in the same night. “And then what?” Lynch interrupted. Lynch fired up while talking about how Bayley took Kai and Sky and did nothing with them.

“You haven’t done anything,” said Lynch. She spoke about the various times she thought the feud would end and said now it can only end at WrestleMania. Lynch spiked the mic and the teams jawed at one another…

The WrestleMania 39 video aired heading into a commercial break… [C]

Powell’s POV: Lynch showed great fire in her promo. The match is what it is at this point, but Lynch did her best to give it one final push.

1. Becky Lynch (w/Trish Stratus, Lita) vs. Iyo Sky (w/Bayley, Dakota Kai). Lynch put Sky down with an inverted suplex and got a two count. Lynch fired up the crowd and set up for her finisher, but Sky avoided it and performed a double stomp that resulted in a two count of her own. [C]

Footage aired from during the break of Sky performing a nice springboard missile dropkick and of Lynch executing a superplex. Back live, Sky performed a pair of German suplexes and bridged into a pin for a two count on the second suplex.

Sky knocked Lynch off the ropes with a dropkick. Sky followed up with an Asai moonsault and then rolled Lynch back inside the ring and covered her for a two count. A “this is awesome” chant broke out. Sky went to the ropes and played to the crowd before going for her moonsault finisher, which Lynch avoided. Sky avoided Lynch’s Disarmer, but Lynch came right back with the Manhandle Slam and got the clean pin…

Becky Lynch defeated Iyo Sky in 11:30.

Powell’s POV: A hot match to open the show. This was the best match that I can recall Sky having since she was brought up to the main roster. For that matter, it’s the hottest television match that Lynch has had in some time.

Footage aired of last week’s angle involving Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns, which also included Rhodes telling Sikoa that he wasn’t ready. Footage also aired from Smackdown of Rhodes once again telling Sikoa that he’s not ready after Paul Heyman announced they would meet on Raw…

Solo Sikoa, Paul Heyman, and Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso were shown walking backstage… [C]

Phoenix imagery was shown… A video package spotlighted Asuka and featured comments from Corey Graves, Zelina Vega, Kevin Owens, Lita, Molly Holly, Charlotte Flair, and MVP…

Powell’s POV: A nice video that touched on her time in NXT in addition to the main roster. That said, I wish they would have spent more time establishing her new persona. I really hope there’s more to it than new face paint and spraying mist.

Seth Rollins was interviewed by Cathy Kelley in the backstage area after his angle with Logan Paul from last week was recapped. Before Rollins could speak, Mustafa Ali cut in and tried to speak for him. Ali dubbed himself “Positive Ali.” Rollins said he got the wordplay. Rollins recalled Ali wanting a title shot at him when he was U.S. Champion. Rollins said good things come to those who wait and said they could have that match. Ali tried to back down, but the broadcast team said the match was coming up next… [C]

The broadcast team thanked The Weeknd for the WrestleMania theme song. Seth Rollins made his entrance…

2. Seth Rollins vs. Mustafa Ali. Ali’s entrance was not televised. Ali ended up in the tree of woe position. Rollins Stomped him out of the ropes. Rollins followed up with a traditional Stomp and scored the pin.

Seth Rollins beat Mustafa Ali in 2:10.

After the match, Rollins said he would finally get his hands on Logan Paul on night one of WrestleMania. Rollins said Paul had a history of making a joke out of himself. Rollins said that if he can’t beat Paul at WrestleMania, “then he’s not the joke, I am.”

Rollins that everything that Paul has done to him would come back around in five days. He mentioned that Saturday will also be Logan’s birthday. Rollins said the fans would serenade him all night long, but it wouldn’t be with the happy birthday song. Rollins told the fans to give a preview and they all chanted his entrance theme. Rollins closed by saying he would see Paul at WrestleMania…

Powell’s POV: The match was an all out showcase win for Rollins, who was mega over with the live crowd. I hope Ali gets a chance to make this new gimmick work after WrestleMania.

Footage aired from earlier in the day of Baron Corbin complaining to Adam Pearce about not having a match at WrestleMania, yet doing signings and meet and greets all across the country. Chelsea Green interrupted and asked Pearce why she wasn’t in the four-way tag team showcase match. Pearce said Green doesn’t have a partner, and Piper Niven wanted nothing to do with her.

Sonya Deville showed up and told Green that she did Pearce’s job better than he did. Pearce said they would have to earn their way into the four-way by winning a qualifying match during Raw. Corbin returned after the women left. “Seriously?” Corbin asked Pearce, who walked away…

The broadcast team hyped Green and Deville vs. Michin and Candice LeRae as the qualifying match, and said the weigh-in segment was coming up next… [C]

Corey Graves and Adam Pearce stood in the ring with a referee for the contract signing.

[Hour Two] Omos and MVP made their entrance. Graves tried to introduce Brock Lesnar, but MVP took the mic. MVP spoke about Lesnar’s WrestleMania accomplishments and said he wouldn’t be able to suplex or F5 Omos, who then stepped onto the scale. The referee said Omos weighed in at 410 lbs., but they never did a close-up of the actual weight.

Brock Lesnar made his entrance. Once in the ring, Lesnar charged Omos and was unable to take him off his feet with a pair of shoulder blocks. Lesnar picked up the scale, but Omos put him down with a big boot. Omos picked up the scale. Lesnar scurried to ringside while Omos stood tall in the ring. The crowd chanted “Suplex City.” Patrick indicated that the Lesnar vs. Omos match would be held on Saturday…

Powell’s POV: Lesnar never actually weighed in, but it was a simple and effective angle with Omos standing tall despite Lesnar making a couple of attempts to take him off his feet. Best of all, Paul Wight wasn’t in charge of reading the scale.

A video package aired on Smackdown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair…

Rhea Ripley was interviewed backstage by Byron Saxton. Ripley said there’s no denying how great Charlotte’s legacy is, but she doesn’t need to be reminded that she’s a 14-time women’s champion. Ripley said Flair’s legacy is unmatched, but it won’t define her destiny. Ripley said she must beat Flair and must become the biggest star in the industry. Ripley said it comes down to Charlotte’s legacy compared to her destiny. Ripley said Flair won’t stop her from becoming the new Smackdown Women’s Champion…

“The Street Profits” Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins, and their partners Braun Strowman and Ricochet made their entrance for the eight-man tag match…

An ad for “WrestleMania Smackdown” hyped appearances by Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes, and the Andre the Giant memorial battle royal… [C]

A video aired with Finn Balor delivering a promo regarding his Hell in a Cell match with Edge. Balor said there’s nothing more dangerous than a caged demon. Balor told Edge to do whatever he has to do to unlock his demon. Balor said he doesn’t summon his demon, it’s always there. Balor said you just have to lose closely. Images of the Demon face paint flashed on Balor’s face and then Balor as The Demon was shown for a second…

Alpha Academy and their partners the Viking Raiders made separate entrances…

3. Braun Strowman and Ricochet and “The Street Profits” Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins vs. “Alpha Academy” Chad Gable and Otis and “The Viking Raiders” Erik and Ivar (w/Valhalla) in an eight-man tag match. The broadcast team noted that the four teams would meet in the four-way tag team showcase at WrestleMania. A “we want the smoke” chant broke out early in the match.

All eight men ended up in the ring. After a skirmish, the big men Otis, Ivar, and Strowman remained. Otis quickly became the last man standing. Ford dove from the top rope at him, but Otis caught him and slammed him to the mat. Gable kissed Otis on the cheek. [C]