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10 Takeaways From WWE RAW (4/23)

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Robert Lentini

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The April 23rd, 2018 episode of WWE RAW aired live from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, MO. It was the final episode of WWE RAW before WWE Greatest Royal Rumble this Friday afternoon.

RAW kicked off with a tribute to Bruno Sammartino. The RAW locker room stood on the stage with Vince McMahon as the bell was tolled ten times. WWE then aired a video tribute for Sammartino and there will be a documentary about his life available on the WWE Network following tonight’s RAW.

Here are 10 Takeaways from this week’s show:

Roman Reigns Confronted Brock Lesnar Before Greatest Royal Rumble

Universal Champion Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman came down to the ring. Heyman asked the crowd if they thought they were in the ring to gloat and say “we told you so”. Heyman noted that he doesn’t offer predictions, he delivers spoilers. Heyman added that Lesnar does not gloat, he conquers. Paul admitted that he gloats all the time and gloated about Brock using “non-PG era elbows to the face” to Reigns at WrestleMania 34.

Heyman turned his attention towards the Greatest Royal Rumble event this Friday. Paul stated that Lesnar craves so badly to be in a UFC fight, he will now fly to Saudi Arabia just to be locked inside a cage, The camera conveniently cut to a section of fans that were all chanting “Roman!”. Heyman bragged about Lesnar signing a contract with a substantial raise, in which he earned by beating Roman Reigns at WrestleMania.

Paul stated that WWE came to Lesnar and said that they needed the Universal Championship defended at Greatest Royal Rumble. It was Lesnar who asked for the match to a be a cage match. Heyman vowed that Lesnar is going to shred Roman Reigns at Greatest Royal Rumble and that Reigns will come back to the United States in multiple boxes as a former WWE Superstar.

Roman Reigns interrupted and came down to the entrance ramp. Roman paused for a bit and had a stare down with Lesnar. Reigns made his way down the ramp and got into the ring with Lesnar. Roman guaranteed that he was coming home with the Universal Championship and that Lesnar can believe that. Reigns dropped the microphone and traded a few words with Lesnar before exiting the ring.

Opinion: There really is no reason to be excited for this match at all. If you weren’t looking forward to seeing it at WrestleMania 34, I don’t know how you’d be hyped to see it again this Friday afternoon.

Elias Escaped With A Victory

Elias battled Bobby Roode tonight on WWE RAW. Elias was set to perform before the match, but Roode interrupted him immediately.

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Roode started out the match in control and beatdown Elias in the corner. Roode connected with an inverted Atomic Drop and followed it up with a Dropkick for a two count. Roode Clotheslined Elias out of the ring as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Elias was in control of the match and connected with a couple of chops in the corner. Elias applied a Chin Lock in the middle of the ring. Roode connected with a Back Body Drop to break up the hold.

Elias was the first Superstar back to his feet. Roode decked him with a forearm to the face and followed it up with a Clothesline in the corner. Bobby connected with a Neckbreaker and then another Clothesline off the top rope.

Roode went for the Glorious DDT but Elias blocked it. Roode planted Elias with a Blockbuster off the second rope and Elias rolled out of the ring. Bobby followed him and threw him back into the ring. Elias pulled Roode’s shoulder into the ropes and then won the match with a roll-up.

Hardy & Wyatt Dominated Ahead Of Their Title Match This Friday

Bray Wyatt and Matt Hardy faced The Ascension tonight on RAW. Hardy cheered Viktor to start off the match after he performed a cartwheel in the ring. Hardy slammed Viktor to the mat and Wyatt tagged in.

Konnor tagged in and he was promptly leveled by a shoulder tackle from Bray. Matt tagged in and went for a Neckbreaker, but Konnor knocked him back to the corner. Viktor tagged in and stomped on Hardy in the corner.

Viktor applied a Chin Lock in the middle of the ring. Matt escaped and tagged in Bray Wyatt. Bray connected with an elbow to the face and then posed in the corner. Hardy tagged back in and hit Viktor with the Side Effect.

Bray planted Konnor with the Sister Abigail and then tagged back into the match. Bray held up Viktor as Matt planted him with a Twist of Fate. Bray then pinned Viktor for the victory. Matt & Bray will face Sheamus & Cesaro at Greatest Royal Rumble for the vacant RAW Tag Team Championships.

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Opinion: It has already been announced that Sheamus & Cesaro are heading to SmackDown during WWE’s Superstar Shake-Up. So, it seems quite obvious that Hardy and Wyatt are going to win the titles on Friday. Hardy and Wyatt are certainly an entertaining team, but WWE really needs to build up RAW’s tag division again. It’s ineptitude culminated in a 10-year-old winning the titles at WrestleMania 34. I’m hoping that we get some great rivalries within the division going forward, because I’m currently not invested in the RAW Tag Team Championships after WrestleMania 34.

Kurt Angle Was A Guest On The Sami & Kevin Show

RAW GM Kurt Angle was a guest on The Sami & Kevin Show tonight on RAW.

Sami and Kevin sat down at a desk set up in the ring. Owens welcomed everyone the show and Sami claimed that this was the hottest new interview show. Owens said that a huge void on RAW was created when The Miz was sent to SmackDown. Sami and Kevin then vowed to win the Greatest Royal Rumble match as the crowd chanted “you both suck”.

Owens said that tonight was about new beginnings and sang a song for Kurt Angle. The song was simply “you suck!” along to Angle’s theme. Owens grabbed a beach chair and set it up for Angle in the ring. Kurt smirked and took a seat.

Kevin Owens claimed that Stephanie McMahon had Kurt’s manhood in a jar in Stamford, Connecticut. Owens brought up headbutting Vince McMahon and Sami stated either Stephanie is really big fans of theirs, or she just really hates Kurt Angle.

Owens stated that Kurt Angle desperately needs this job because of his six kids. Zayn said that Angle only had five kids and Owens corrected him and pointed out that Zayn had forgotten about Jason Jordan. Sami nodded his head and added “that is okay, for years Kurt Angle forgot about Jason Jordan too”.

Angle responded that he appreciated the way that Sami and Owens were treating him tonight. Angle noted that he will be the Greatest Royal Rumble match with Owens and Zayn. He stated that Daniel Bryan and Chris Jericho will also be in the rumble match and might look to get some revenge on Owens and Zayn. Angle announced that Owens and Zayn will face Bobby Lashley and Braun Strowman in a tag match.

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Drew McIntyre & Dolph Ziggler Impressed Again

Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler battled Apollo Crews and Titus O’Neil tonight on RAW. Titus beatdown Ziggler for a bit to start off the match. McIntyre tagged in and took control. McIntyre lifted Crews up in the Alabama Slam and Ziggler Superkicked him in the face.

McIntyre and Ziggler then hit the Claymore into the Zig Zag for the pinfall victory. Dolph and Ziggler shouted at Crews and taunted him before performing the Claymore/Zig Zag.

After the match, Ziggler was asked why he brought McIntyre. Ziggler said that now he has someone watching his back and that McIntyre is dangerous. Drew grabbed the microphone and stated that he is dangerous, especially to a locker room that his gone soft. Drew said that he walked around and saw people that just collecting checks and it makes him sick.

Drew added that he is not what WWE wants, he is the wake-up call and reality check that WWE needs. Dolph grabbed the microphone and shouted that they are not worried about stealing the show because they are the show.

Opinion: This was an excellent promo. McIntyre has stated in various interviews that he wanted to prove himself in WWE once again and become the main event. That passion is now being shown in his on-screen character and he got a great reaction in his promo tonight. The fans, myself included, already dig this team and I’m looking forward to see what the future holds for them.

You couldn’t create a Superstar that looks better than Drew McIntyre on paper if you tried.He has the look, the body and the in-ring skills to be at the top of the card. The problem was that he failed miserably to connect with the crowd in his first run with the company and wound up in 3MB with Mahal and Slater. I don’t think McIntyre is going to let that happen again and we could be in for something special on RAW every Monday night.

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Chad Gable Defeated Jinder Mahal

Jinder Mahal and Chad Gable had a confrontation backstage. Jinder thought he was the child that won the tag titles with Braun Strowman at WrestleMania 34. Mahal then thought he was Mini-Me, but said that was impossible because he passed away this week. RAW GM Kurt Angle announced that they will have a match right now.

Sunil Singh distracted Gable Mahal attacked him before the match started and beat him down. The match officially started and Jinder connected with a boot to the face. Jinder connected with a Clothesline outside the ring as RAW went to a commercial break.

When RAW returned, Mahal was still in control and had Gable in a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Gable broke free but was sent back to the canvas with a Clothesline. Jinder whipped Gable into the turnbuckle and went right back to the Headlock. Mahal followed it up by dropping a couple of knees across Gable’s chest. Mahal went for a third, but Gable got his feet up and connected with a kick to the face.

Gable connected with a boot to the face and then targeted his attack on Mahal’s legs. Jinder battled back and hit a running knee to the face. Jinder went for the Khallas, but Gable countered by running up the turnbuckle and flipping into a roll-up for the pinfall victory.

Lashley & Strowman Dominated

Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens faced Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley in a tag match tonight. Sami and Owens rolled out of the ring before the match started. Braun and Bobby tried to follow them and Owens & Zayn rolled in the ring to avoid them

Braun caught Sami and Owens outside the ring. Strowman through Zayn into the barricade and rolled Owens into the ring. Lashley connected with a Neckbreaker and followed it up with a Spinebuster to Owens.

Lashley beatdown Owens in the corner and shoved his boot in his face. Owens battled back and tagged in Sami Zayn. Sami connected with a few right hands in the corner and then taunted him. Lashley exploded out of the corner and planted Zayn with a Suplex for a two count.

Sami connected with a boot to the face and Owens tagged back in. Owens beatdown Lashley once again in the corner. Owens knocked Lashley out of the ring and connected with a running Senton as RAW went to a break.

When RAW returned, Lashley was still trapped in the ring as Owens and Zayn took turns beating him down. Owens dragged Strowman off the ring apron so that Lashley couldn’t tag out. Strowman finally tagged in and absolutely leveled Owens with a shoulder tackle outside the ring.

Owens connected with a Clothesline to Zayn in the ring and then shoulder tackled Owens once again outside the ring. Strowman planted Owens with a Dropkick outside the ring. Back in the ring, Lashley planted Zayn with a Vertical Suplex and held him up in the air forever. Braun tagged back in and planted Sami with a Running Powerslam for the victory.

Baron Corbin Attacked No Way Jose From Behind

Photo Credit: WWE.com

Baron Corbin rejected his match against No Way Jose tonight because of the conga line that was present. Corbin said that he sniffed out Jose’s plan that several members of the line were going to attack him from behind. Corbin added that No Way Jose wasn’t on his level.

The conga line danced backstage and then Jose waved to the crown and Corbin attacked from behind. Baron Chokeslammed Jose into a Backbreaker on the entrance ramp. Corbin then posed at the top of the ramp as RAW went to a commercial break.

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Opinion: It is pretty amazing how far off the radar Baron Corbin has fallen. His first feud after the Superstar Shake-Up is with No Way Jose. If Corbin defeated Jose 100 times in a row, it wouldn’t do anything for him. Corbin is barely even a midcarder at this point.

The Miztourage Didn’t Find A New Leader

Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel spent the first two hours trying to find a new leader because The Miz is now on SmackDown. Both Rollins and Balor rejected The Miztourage and it resulted in a tag match later in the show.

Balor dominated Curtis Axel to start off the match. Axel battled back and tagged in Bo Dallas. Bo applied a Chin Lock and dragged Balor to the canvas. Balor broke free and tagged in Rollins and he cleaned house.

Seth knocked The Miztourage out of the ring and then delivered a Suicide Dive to Axel. Seth brought Curtis back into the ring and planted him with a Blockbuster off the second rope. Balor tagged in and hit the Coup de Grace for the victory.

Seth Rollins will defend the Intercontinental Championship in a Ladder Match against Finn Balor, Samoa Joe and The Miz at Greatest Royal Rumble this Friday.

Ronda Rousey Beatdown Mickie James

Natalya, Ember Moon, Nia Jax, Bayley & Sasha Banks battled Alexa Bliss, Mickie James, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan, Ruby Riott in the main event of tonight’s RAW.

Mickie James beatdown Sasha Banks to start off the match and applied a Chin Lock in the middle of the ring. Natalya tagged in and locked in the Sharpshooter on Mickie but Sarah Logan broke it up.

Ruby Riott tagged in and dragged Bayley to the mat with a Chin Lock. Bayley broke free and tagged in Nia Jax. Nia planted Ruby with a Samoan Drop and followed it up with a Leg Drop. Alexa, Mickie, Liv and Sarah rushed the ring and a brawl broke out.

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Mickie James kept attacking Natalya on the outside of the ring. Ronda Rousey’s music hit and Rousey came to check on her friend. Mickie connected with a Dropkick to Rousey’s back. Ronda got up and charged the ring and locked in the Arm Bar on Mickie James. The referee called for the bell and Rousey checked on Natalya as her team was disqualified.

Opinion: This week’s episode of RAW was pretty dull. We got another Lesnar & Reigns promo and a series of matches that really didn’t mean anything at all. The highlights of the show for me were Gable picking up a win and McIntyre & Ziggler’s promo.

What did you think of this week’s episode of RAW? Let us know in the comments below.

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