Bobby Lashley Defeats The Miz in Rematch, Retains WWE Title at Raw

Bobby Lashley successfully defended the WWE Championship against The Miz to open Raw on Monday night.

Lashley dominated from start to finish. Even when Miz seemed to gain a foothold, his advantage evaporated quickly.

Eventually, Lashley applied the Hurt Lock, and that was all she wrote.

The Miz triggered his rematch clause to challenge Lashley one week after losing the WWE Championship to The All Mighty.

Miz had done his best to duck Lashley but ran out of options after Shane McMahon booked him in a Lumberjack match to close out the show. Lashley made quick work of his opponent to become the WWE champion for the first time.

The presence of the guy The Miz beat for the belt at Elimination Chamber continues to loom large with WrestleMania 37 a little over a month away on April 10 and 11. Drew McIntyre watched Monday's match from backstage.

McIntyre was in the middle of a promo arguing why he deserved the next shot against Lashley when Sheamus attacked him. The Celtic Warrior still hasn't moved past the bad blood with his former friend.

Fastlane is right around the corner on March 21. With The Miz seemingly out of the championship picture at WrestleMania, perhaps that show can set the table for Lashley at The Showcase of the Immortals.