Huge Takeaways From Raw - Seth Rollins Proves To Be An Ironman

Go home shows ahead of WWE pay per views can normally go one of two ways. Either it's the calm before the storm and nothing much happens or WWE creative really ramp things up in an attempt to make sure as many people as possible tune in to the big show that coming Sunday. This week's Raw was definitely an example of the latter. If nothing else the seven men who will compete inside the Elimination Chamber put on a terrific advert for the show via their epic gauntlet match. All of that and more in this week's Huge Takeaways from Raw.

5. Seth Rollins Takes Out Raw's Two Top Dogs

This Sunday for the first time ever seven men will step inside the Elimination Chamber instead of the regularly scheduled six. Before making it to Sunday though those men had to endure a gauntlet match, one that would end up lasting the majority of Monday night's show. The rules of a gauntlet match dictate that two men start in the ring and once one is pinned or submitted the next comes to the ring and so on until all seven men have competed. Shield brothers Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins were the first two in and that matchup alone would have been a hard night's work for both men. After The Architect pulled off a shock win though he had another opponent to worry about immediately after, John Cena. To the shock of the WWE Universe Rollins beat the 16 time World Champion too. On to the next one for Rollins.

4. Rollins Was Too Weary To Walk With Elias

After defeating Cena and Reigns the third man in Rollins' crosshairs was Elias. You would think after taking out two of WWE's top guys The Drifter would be child's play for The Architect. That might well have been the case if The Hound Of Justice hadn't just fought his heart out for almost an entire hour. In fact by the time Elias managed to put away Rollins and send him back to the locker room he had been wrestling for an incredible one hour and five minutes. The fifth man to enter the fray was Finn Balor and while Elias gave a good account of himself, defeating a fresh former Universal Champion proved to be too tall an order. In all fairness Balor finished him off with a Coup De Grace to the ribs, the same ribs that Braun Strowman smashed a cello over last week.

3. Braun Strowman Enters Last And Stands Tallest

By the time Monday night's gauntlet match came to a close the seven man, technically six match epic had lasted almost two hours. In fact according to Michael Cole if it does indeed count as one match then it might have been the longest in WWE history. After Elias was eliminated The Miz entered the fray and felt like he needed even more of an advantage than wrestling someone who had already technically competed in one match so sent out his Miztourage to distract Balor. That worked briefly but didn't stop the first ever Universal Champion from fighting his heart out after that. The Awesome One won out though which left just one more man, Braun Strowman. When that reality dawned on The Miz he tried to run but The Monster Among Men caught him and well, the rest was pretty predictable. The Intercontinental Champion got those hands and Strowman picked up the win.

2. Nia Jax Seems Pretty Ready For Asuka

Whether we like it or not we are counting down the days to when Asuka's undefeated streak comes to an end. Granted we may still have a lot of days to count but it can't go on forever. If Nia Jax has anything to do with it then we'll only need to count six more days as she will take on The Empress Of Tomorrow this Sunday at Elimination Chamber with every intention of winning. Jax didn't want to wait until then to get her hands on The Undefeated One either. Mid-promo on Monday night Jax blindsided her upcoming opponent and delivered a beatdown unlike anything Asuka has experienced so far on the main roster. It started with a Samoan Drop and ended with three massive leg drops. Message sent.

1. If That Happens 5 Times On Sunday We'll Have A New Champion

The women of Raw main eventing the show has become such common place now that when it happens a big deal isn't made of it. The six woman tag match involving the six females that will step inside the Elimination Chamber on Sunday closed out proceedings and exactly what Alexa Bliss had been worried about before the match came into play. The Raw Women's Champion was forced to team with Absolution, two women she doesn't exactly get along well with. Bliss didn't particularly want to tag into the match and on the occasions that she did there was clear animosity between her and her temporary team mates. The match came to a close when Bliss found herself in the Bank Statement and with no one coming to her aid was forced to tap out. Absolution had their sights set on Bliss after the match but the champ's newest ally Mickie James came to her rescue and it was they who had the last laugh.