{"id":193433,"date":"2025-03-23T12:26:14","date_gmt":"2025-03-23T17:26:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=193433"},"modified":"2025-03-23T12:26:14","modified_gmt":"2025-03-23T17:26:14","slug":"5-yrs-ago-kellers-wwe-raw-report-3-16-2020-review-of-first-performance-center-episode-with-steve-austin-byron-saxton-segment-plus-edge-undertaker-rey-aj-styles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2025\/03\/23\/5-yrs-ago-kellers-wwe-raw-report-3-16-2020-review-of-first-performance-center-episode-with-steve-austin-byron-saxton-segment-plus-edge-undertaker-rey-aj-styles\/","title":{"rendered":"5 YRS AGO \u2013 Keller\u2019s WWE Raw Report (3\/16\/2020): Review of first Performance Center episode with Steve Austin-Byron Saxton segment, plus Edge, Undertaker, Rey, AJ Styles"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-551686779\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><p><em>The following report originally published 5 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>KELLER\u2019S WWE RAW REPORT<br \/>\nMARCH 16, 2020<br \/>\nORLANDO, FLA. AT PERFORMANCE CENTER<br \/>\nAIRED ON USA NETWORK<\/h3>\n<p><em>Announcers: Tom Phillips, Jerry Lawler, Byron Saxton<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>[HOUR ONE]<\/h3>\n<p>-The announcers (showing zero social spacing etiquette) stood mid-ring and introduced the show. They threw to a brief video recap of A.J. Styles last week vowing to take Undertaker\u2019s soul at WrestleMania. Then they hyped that Undertaker was present to have a contract signing with A.J. Styles. As Phillips plugged that Randy Orton was also present, Edge\u2019s music interrupted them. He made his ring entrance as the blue spotlights in the empty stands shone and moved back and forth.<\/p>\n<p>-Edge said it\u2019s been a strange month and a half for him and his wife, Beth Phoenix. \u201cLet\u2019s roll the footage,\u201d he said. They went to a video package.\u00a0Back live, Edge said when his dad introduced him to Orton 21 years ago, \u201cthis young fresh-faced athlete,\u201d his gut told him everything from that moment was going to change and their paths would intertwine. He talked about stealing the show for the IC Title, Rated RKO destroying DX. \u201cI was proven right,\u201d he said. \u201cUp and down all of those roads, exchanging stories, finding out that we disliked the same people, that we owed the same man for pushing them to their capabilities. That man\u2019s name is Mick Foley.\u201d He said Foley wanted to show them what they could do and hand the torch to them. \u201cRandy, we grabbed it, we did,\u201d he said. \u201cBut there was one lesson I took from Mick that you didn\u2019t, and that lesson was grit.\u201d He said that was what he needed after nine years of wrist surgeries and neck injuries in order to compete in the Royal Rumble. He said despite many similarities, Orton is \u201can entitled brat.\u201d He said he got everything handed to him on a silver platter. He said it kills him and makes him so jealous that a guy like him had to work for everything and got it. \u201cI didn\u2019t get it handed to me,\u201d he said. \u201cI got raised by a single parent who broke her back to make sure my visions, my dreams could come true \u2013 and they did.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He said it makes Orton jealous that he threw him out of the Rumble after nine years away. \u201cThat\u2019s what this is really all about,\u201d he said. \u201cThis isn\u2019t love. You don\u2019t love me. You\u2019re jealous. You are jealous because you can\u2019t do what I do and that tears you apart.\u201d He said two weeks ago Beth came back to give a medical update on him. \u201cWhat no one realizes, what you don\u2019t realize, Randy, is she was here to retire me again. She didn\u2019t feel it was fair that someone should be forced to retire from what they love to do \u2013 not once, but twice. You just couldn\u2019t let her finish, could you, Randy?\u201d He said Randy pulled him out of a hole that Randy dug for him and kept him from making a terrible decision. He said it\u2019s simple \u2013 at WrestleMania, if he\u2019s got the guts, he wants a Last Man Standing match. \u201cI write this story!\u201d he said. \u201cAnd this story isn\u2019t a tragedy, man. This is a redemptive story, and at WrestleMania, you won\u2019t stand back up.\u201d He dropped the mic and left.<\/p>\n<p><em>(Keller\u2019s Analysis: Tremendous delivery. Intense, believable, admirable.)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>-Lawler wondered what Orton thought of that. Then they went to a clip from earlier of a Becky Lynch semi truck arriving with her logo and face painted on it. \u201cLass Kicker\u201d and \u201cThe Man\u201d was also painted on it. It pulled up to the Performance Center. Phillips said, \u201cI dig it!\u201d Lawler said, \u201cI guess.\u201d Becky honked the horn and strutted out. She waved at three people standing within a foot of each other. [c]<\/p>\n<p>-Phillips noted that Raw is live from the Performance Center. \u201cThis is Monday Night Raw\u2019s most unique show in history,\u201d he said. No allusion to the reason. They went to the trio of announcers who hyped that it\u2019s \u201cStone Cold 3:16 Day\u201d and Steve Austin would be out later. Saxton threw to the Royal Rumble match. They cut to a break ten minutes in. [c]<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-4080395137\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><em>(Keller\u2019s Analysis: They haven\u2019t announced a match. I wonder if Vince McMahon disliked the matches without fans to the point that he discontinued it. Perhaps the viewership was solid for the replay of the Elimiination Chamber tag team match on Friday; I haven\u2019t seen the minute-by-minute ratings quite yet. We\u2019ll see as the show progressed, but what does that mean for WrestleMania, since it\u2019s been moved to the Performance Center?)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Back from the break, Lesnar was still in the match pacing, waiting for the sixth entrant \u2013 Kofi Kingston.<\/p>\n<h3>[HOUR TWO]<\/h3>\n<p>-They continued to air the match with frequent commercial breaks until 53 minutes into the second hour.<\/p>\n<p>-Back live with the announcers, first Saxton talked about it being a big night for Drew. Then Phillips updated that WrestleMania will occur at the Performance Center instead of at the stadium in Tampa. Lawler said, \u201cThey say anything can happen in the WWE, and the greatest show of all will go on, and it\u2019ll go on right here.\u201d Then they threw to a clip from Raw two weeks ago when Drew McIntyre and Lesnar had a staredown and then Drew kicked Lesnar with two Claymores.<\/p>\n<p><em>(Keller\u2019s Analysis: With no crowd, it\u2019s such an unfortunately flat way for Drew to beat Brock, so I\u2019m not sure if they were planning that, they should go through with that. Yet, what a momentum-buster if Drew were to lose. So under these far-from-ideal circumstances, there\u2019s really no option that doesn\u2019t involve a pretty big compromise if this was supposed to be Drew\u2019s crowning moment.)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>-Lawler introduced the contract signing. Undertaker came out to his music, but he wasn\u2019t in his Undertaker robe. Instead, he had a head scarf on and wrestling pants, but no robe. He angrily tipped over the autograph table. Lawler abandoned the ring as they cut to a break. [c]<\/p>\n<p><i>(Keller\u2019s Analysis: If there was ever an excuse to cut Raw back to two hours, maybe these circumstances are it. Theres a lot of reasons to do or not do a lot of things under these extraordinary circumstances, but three hours without a crowd going forward with flashback matches and in-ring segments without fans, and perhaps (or not) matches without fans indefinitely seems problematic. Two hours is just more manageable, although still a challenge to pull off. For instance, they could do a two hour Raw from 9-11, and then in the 8-9 window air original NXT episodes with today\u2019s stars back before they became stars, but with the wrestlers who went on to become stars commenting on the show with added commentary. Relatively few people have seen those shows, but they\u2019d be\u00a0compelling content\u00a0because of who those wrestlers went on to become.)<\/i><\/p>\n<h3>[HOUR THREE]<\/h3>\n<p>-Phillips threw to a video package on the Styles-Taker feud.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-2833061415\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>-Back live, Taker was impatiently pacing. Styles\u2019s music played. No Styles. The music played again. No Styles. He eventually showed up on the big screen with the contract in hand, with Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows behind him. He pointed out he was the one who challenged Taker to a match on \u201cthe biggest stage of them all.\u201d (Can they still say that?) He said it\u2019s 2020, and while Undertaker is a Mount Rushmore WWE Superstar who carried the company on his back for a long time, he keeps showing up in an era that doesn\u2019t want him anymore and would rather see him removed from it. He said you don\u2019t see Michael Jordan, Peyton Manning, or Brett Favre interjecting themselves into their sports anymore. Styles said you can sure as hell count on Undertaker injecting himself into WrestleMania season. \u201cI think I know whose fault this is,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s your wife\u2019s, Michelle McCool. Ol\u2019 Money Michelle is what they\u2019re calling her. She dusts off that crusty old jacket and hat and watches you walk down the aisle \u00a0and embarrass yourself. Undertaker, Mark, you are a shell of your former self. That flame you once had is totally gone, Mark. Let it go. And somewhere, something should be telling me to have some sympathy for the old guy. I can\u2019t find it, it\u2019s not there. I\u2019ll tell you why. Because not once, but twice, you have stuck your nose in O.C. business.\u201d He said he stole his victory from him at Super Showdown, then cost him another victory at Elimination Chamber. He said at WrestleMania, the lights will go off, but he can\u2019t hide. \u201cAnd we know you can\u2019t run,\u201d he added. \u201cWhen WrestleMania is over, I will gladly pay for your assisted living costs. I mean, I\u2019m kind of doing everyone a favor when I finally have you rest in peace.\u201d He did the throat-slice gesture.<\/p>\n<p>Styles signed the contract and asked Anderson to bring Undertaker the contract. Anderson said no. Gallows said, \u201cIt\u2019s your match.\u201d Styles insisted and eventually Anderson and Gallows complied. \u201cQuit back-talking me!\u201d Styles said. Styles smiled in a self-satisfied way. Then Anderson and Gallows came out to their music. Lawler said Styles added more fuel to the fire. Saxton criticized Styles. Taker stood mid-ring and eyed Anderson and Gallows. They trepidatiously slid the contract into the ring, then backed away. The lights went out. When the lights came back on seconds later, Taker was standing behind them. Taker beat up both of them at ringside. Then Taker signed the contract and shoved it into Gallows\u2019 mouth. His music played as Styles eyed him with a snarl on the big screen. Taker approached the image of Styles and stared a hole into him.<\/p>\n<p>-Phillips announced that Rey Mysterio vs. Andrade would take place next.<\/p>\n<p><em>(Keller\u2019s Analysis: That clears up the idea that WWE had decided for now not to have wrestlers interact physically in the ring. Between the Taker brawl at ringside and the announcement of an actual match, that is still on the table as a way to fill TV time.) [c]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>-A commercial hyped that Rob Gronkowski would be on Smackdown this Friday.<\/p>\n<p><strong>(1) REY MYSTERIO vs. ANDRADE (w\/Zelina Vega)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Asuka joined the announcers on commentary. (Make sense of that decision in a storyline sense. Obviously someone important gets a kick out of her energy.) Andrade took early control against Rey as Asuka cracked up Lawler by saying things in Japanese in hyper-active mode as Lawler made up that she was saying mean things about Phillips. Andrade scored a two count against Rey, then they cut to a break. [c]<\/p>\n<p>Phillips said Asuka is apparently a big Andrade fans, as she kept getting excited when Andrade was on offense. Rey set up a 619, but Andrade moved and landed a back elbow leading to a two count. A minute later Rey made a comeback and hit the 619 to zero pop from the empty seats. Then he landed his top rope splash for the three count. Asuka threw a bit of a fit afterward.<\/p>\n<p>WINNER: Mysterio in about 7 minutes of TV time.<\/p>\n<p>-A video package aired on the women\u2019s Elimination Chamber match including Shayna Baszler vowing in a backstage interview that she\u2019s going to take the title from her. \u201cAnd there\u2019s a not a damn thing you can do about it, bitch,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>-Lynch made her live ring entrance. Becky said she knows Baszler is watching her because \u201cmy mere existence drives you crazy.\u201d She said as long as she\u2019s holding that title, nothing in her world makes sense. \u201cYou have been taught, you have been trained you can just bully your way to the top,\u201d she said. She said she did it for two years in NXT, but now she\u2019s run into a \u201cloud ginger absolute legend of an Irishwoman that makes you question the whole natural order of things.\u201d She said she wanted to explain it \u201cin terms an animal scumbag like you can understand.\u201d She said every word, action, Tweet, and interview is meant to get Baszler to think what she wants her to think about her. She said Baszler can walk around with her mouthguard in and her cold dead eyes, and cut through the rest of the division, and it enrages her and all her little buddies, but she wants her to do something she never does \u2013 think about how it\u2019s going to feel when she beats her. \u201cI watched you demolish the entire division at Elimination Chamber, and it woke me up to a little bit of reality, but at WrestleMania I\u2019m going to prove that your whole life is a lie and it\u2019s going to hit you like a truck.\u201d She slammed the mic down on the mat. They showed Baszler watching on a monitor backstage, fuming mad. Becky returned to the stage as her music played.<\/p>\n<p>-Phillips plugged Austin would be out next. They showed a clip of Austin attacking Vince McMahon in a hotel bed. [c]<\/p>\n<p>-Phillips narrated a brief video package on the Performance Center. Then the announcers again talked about the news from earlier that WrestleMania will take place at the Performance Center and it will still air on PPV and on WWE Network. Then they threw to a video package on Charlotte-Rhea Ripley segments on Raw and NXT last week.<\/p>\n<p>-Charlie Caruso interviewed Kevin Owens backstage. She asked where he\u2019d want the match with Seth Rollins to take place. KO took the mic, after asking nicely. He said he accepts Seth\u2019s challenge. He said it\u2019s going to happen at the Performance Center. \u201cThere\u2019s no better place,\u201d he said. \u201cI mean it.\u201d He said when they get in the ring at the PC, he has the home field advantage. KO said he started his WWE career at the PC. \u201cThis is where I went through the hardest experience of my career, when I had my WWE tryout\u201d he said. \u201cPrior to that, I heard so many times from so many people that I don\u2019t belong in WWE, that I\u2019m not a guy for WWE, that\u2019s just not me, I wouldn\u2019t make it there.\u201d He said Seth said it before his tryout and after he got signed, and again a few months ago. He said he made so many memories in those walls and he will always consider them mentors. He said when they face each other at the PC, he will add one more memory to that list in the same building where he earned his place in WWE. \u201cAnd I\u2019m going to do it at WrestleMania,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>-Back to the announcers, Lawler said KO has bitten off more than can chew. Phillips threw to a video package on the \u201cAustin Era\u201d beginning at WrestleMania in 1998 when Austin beat Shawn Michaels. [c]<\/p>\n<p>-Phillips hyped that next week Randy Orton would appear. (Didn\u2019t he say earlier he was there this week?)<\/p>\n<p>-Austin made his ring entrance wearing a \u201c3:16 Day\u201d t-shirt. He did his entrance routine including catching beers. He opened two and poured them into his mouth and then flat-back bumped. The announcers laughed. Austin said he already blew himself up on his entrance. He then declared March 16 is forever more Austin 3:16 Day. He said, \u201cIf you want to know what Austin 3:16 is all about, give me a hell yeah!\u201d There was no noise. They showed empty seats in the crowd. Austin tried again. Byron then yelled, \u201cHell yeah!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Austin said 3:16 Day is giving someone a certain hand gesture with one finger when they give you a hard time. Saxton held up an \u201c8\u201d sign. Austin asked if he\u2019s rating him. Saxton said yes. \u201cThank you for the participation,\u201d Austin said. Austin read his card upside down, then turned it right side up. He said Austin 3:16 Day means you can open a can of whoop ass on anyone you want. Saxton gave it a \u201c6.\u201d Austin said it\u2019s a tough crowd. Austin said 3:16 Day means speed limits are only a suggestion. Saxton gave him a \u201c10.\u201d Austin said 3:16 Day is when happy hour is 24 hours long and, if you burp, it\u2019s considered poetry. Austin said 3:16 Day means your boss works for you. Saxton gave him a \u201c7.\u201d Austin told him to reconsider. He said 3:16 Day is when you can have beer instead of your morning coffee. Saxton gave him an \u201c8.\u201d Austin said, \u201cTough ass crowd here.\u201d Austin said 3:16 Day means four-letter words are always acceptable. Saxton, of course, gave it a \u201c5.\u201d Austin asked him to reconsider. Saxton stuck with it. (Of course.)<\/p>\n<p>Austin said Saxton has been so helpful, he offered to have him celebrate 3:16 Day with him. Saxton said, \u201cYeah! Are you kidding me?\u201d Lawler said, \u201cByron forgot to take his brain pill today.\u201d Saxton walked to the ring as Austin evaluated his salmon colored ties and red socks. They shook hands.<\/p>\n<p>Saxton said he was just being honest, but he loves him. Austin said he appreciates the level of depth and fabric he brought to the show tonight. He proposed a toast. \u201cOne-hundred percect unadulterated jackass,\u201d he said. They drank beer together. Austin kicked Saxton in the nuts and gave him a Stunner. As Austin celebrated, Lynch came out with a cooler. Austin and Lynch shared a beer. Austin helped Saxton to his feet, poured beer over his head, then kicked him in the gut and gave him another Stunner. Lynch trash-talked Saxton briefly and then the show closed with Austin yelling at the hard camera, \u201cThat\u2019s the bottom line because Stone Cold\u2026\u201d and they cut him off. (What was he going to say?! I need to know!!)<\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-3786387284\"><div id=\"pwtor-2438983517\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>The following report originally published 5 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com\u2026 KELLER\u2019S WWE RAW REPORT MARCH 16, 2020 ORLANDO, FLA. AT PERFORMANCE CENTER AIRED ON USA NETWORK Announcers: Tom Phillips, Jerry Lawler, Byron <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2025\/03\/23\/5-yrs-ago-kellers-wwe-raw-report-3-16-2020-review-of-first-performance-center-episode-with-steve-austin-byron-saxton-segment-plus-edge-undertaker-rey-aj-styles\/\" title=\"5 YRS AGO \u2013 Keller\u2019s WWE Raw Report (3\/16\/2020): Review of first Performance Center episode with Steve Austin-Byron Saxton segment, plus Edge, Undertaker, Rey, AJ Styles\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":94423,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-193433","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-specialfeatures","category-exclusives_flashbacks"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2020\/03\/Screen-Shot-2020-03-09-at-3.45.30-PM.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193433","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=193433"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193433\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":194951,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193433\/revisions\/194951"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/94423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=193433"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=193433"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=193433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}