Raw results, Feb. 18, 2019: Ronda Rousey battles all three Riott Squad members as Road to WrestleMania takes a turn

Triple H introduces four new NXT standouts who are primed for their WWE debuts.

LAFAYETTE, La. — Sometimes, a few NXT Superstars popping up unannounced backstage is just a friendly visit of sorts ... and sometimes, their presence means exactly what you think it does. Raw proved to be a resounding case of the latter, as Triple H — or WWE Hall of Famer Triple H as he’s about to be known — took the stage to announce four new imports from the black-and-gold stable he oversees down in Florida: Ricochet, Aleister Black, NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano and NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa, all of whom were spotted behind the curtain just hours before the show began.

That’s … quite a bit of news, especially considering the dust has barely settled from the various title changes, beatings and miracle runs that took place just 24 hours ago. But even though we’re a few weeks away from getting into the Fastlane proper, this is clearly going to be a more breakneck Road to WrestleMania than usual. Among the other twists and turns in store? The follow-up announcement of Braun Strowman and Baron Corbin in a Tables Match, to begin immediately. And the no-business attitude of The Monster Among Men as he approached the ring told the story: Things were, as they say, about to get bumpy.

After falling victim to a 3-on-1 assault at WWE Elimination Chamber, The Monster Among Men aims for retribution against The Lone Wolf.

Baron Corbin can always be counted on for a good strategy, though without his friends at his side, his luck doesn't tend to match up. Facing a very angry Braun Strowman in a Tables Match, the former General Manager-Elect of Monday Night Raw relentlessly worked the battered ribs of his longtime foe, stayed on the attack after a strong opening and kept the action as far away from any stray tables as he could in the hopes of whittling Strowman down to claim the win the win. It didn't work, but it was enough to make things interesting.

That last tactic was especially wise: Slamming Corbin through a table would be light lifting for The Gift of Destruction, but The Lone Wolf's combination of a wisely-picked target and impressive ring awareness made sure Strowman had neither the strength nor proximity to make that happen. Even when Strowman began to rally, Corbin’s fresher legs allowed him to keep the match at a quick pace — until he sprinted headlong into the Monster’s clutches and found himself plowed through a table via Running Powerslam to end the match.

That result was hard-won vindication for Strowman, who was driven through two tables by Corbin, Drew McIntyre and Bobby Lashley at last night’s pay-per-view, but the presence of Paul Heyman at the top of the ramp seemed to give him something of a second wind. Strowman ominously ensnared Brock Lesnar's notorious handler by the shirt collar, but he ultimately released The Advocate from his clutches; he’d had enough destruction for one night.

Zack Ryder continues his quest to help Curt Hawkins snap his losing streak as the longtime friends battle Lucha House Party in tag team action.

The goose egg remains, though it cannot be denied that Curt Hawkins is slowly inching toward the victory he hopes will snap his now-legendary losing streak. It’s not a matter of winning the big one so much as winning any one at all, which is perhaps why The Prince of Queens seemed somewhat frozen at the moment of truth during a tag team match that pitted him and Zack Ryder in a tag team match against Lince Dorado & Gran Metalik of The Lucha House Party. Hawkins rallied long enough from his brief hesitation to deck Metalik on the apron with a hard right, but The Golden Lynx was lying in wait with a hurricanrana that spiked Hawkins to the mat and proved enough to extend his streak by one.

The Boss 'N' Hug Connection discuss the future as the first WWE Women's Tag Team Champions.

And just like that, we have a Women’s Tag Team division. With The Boss ‘N’ Hug Connection’s historic victory in the Elimination Chamber last night, a whole new frontier of the Women’s Evolution has opened up, and Sasha Banks & Bayley gave us the first glimpse of what that might look like.

For starters, the matter of the title’s home brand: To put it simply, it’s all of them. The champions announced that they would not hoard the titles to their home base on Team Red and planned to defend them across Raw, SmackDown LIVE and even NXT, against any challenger, past or present, who wanted an opportunity. And they might already have rivals, as Nia Jax & Tamina reared their heads to try to sow some old seeds of doubt and dissention (namely, that Sasha puts herself first and always loses her titles on her first defense). But Sasha & Bayley may prove to be a tougher chase together than they are apart, as they quickly knocked Jax & Tamina from the apron. Jax & Tamina may be the first prospective challengers, but if things continue this way, they certainly won’t be the last.

WWE's "Moral Compass" locks up with The Scottish Psychopath in an intensely competitive confrontation.

What’s Dean Ambrose thinking? It’s a question better asked than answered, as The Lunatic Fringe’s motivations seem to change at a moment’s notice. This week, he provoked a furious Drew McIntyre with a slap to the face, moments after The Scottish Psychopath petitioned Triple H for a match against Seth Rollins in hopes he might earn a victory that could send him to WrestleMania in The Kingslayer’s place.

It proved to be an unwise strategy, as McIntyre made relatively quick work of the former WWE Champion with a pair of Claymores. Somewhat surprised he’d been left to twist in the wind, The Lunatic Fringe tracked Rollins down and demanded to know where The Architect was in his hour of need. Rollins, understandably, wasn’t going to let one friendly moment undo months of torment, and he exasperatedly asked Ambrose if he’d completely lost his mind. A long, wide-eyed pause later, and The Lunatic Fringe shrugged and made his exit. What’s Dean Ambrose thinking? We may never know.

Elias came to Louisiana not so much to play a song as bring himself to such a state of peace that he drifted off to unconsciousness, so Aleister Black arrived to give the man precisely what he desired. The former NXT Champion was the last and potentially most fearsome of Full Sail’s new arrivals to make his presence known on Raw, and Elias had luckily seen enough of what came before to be ready for The Dutch Destroyer.

Or, at least, as ready as he could be. The Living Truth fought dirty and fought smart, grounding Black to take away his striking ability. But Aleister fought tougher, blistering Elias with every body part he had available to him, lastly and most greatly with his foot in the form of his wicked Black Mass kick. Good night, sweet prince.

The Dutch Destroyer comments on the statement he made against Elias in his debut match on Monday Night Raw.