WWE RAW aired live from the ThunderDome on the campus of the University of South Florida. It was the first episode of RAW following WrestleMania 37. Drew McIntyre, Randy Orton, and Braun Strowman battled in a Triple Threat match in the main event. The winner of the match will face Bobby Lashley for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania Backlash.
RAW Results (4/12)
- Lashley def. Riddle
- Viking Raiders def. Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander
- Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka ended in a no context (Charlotte interference)
- The Miz & John Morrison def. Damian Priest in a Handicap match
- Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler def. Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke via countout
- New Day def. Elias & Jaxson Ryker
- Drew McIntyre def. Randy Orton & Braun Strowman to earn a shot at the WWE Championship at WrestleMania Backlash
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Lashley Dominated
Riddle confronted Bobby Lashley backstage and challenged him to a WWE Championship. Riddle quoted Lashley saying anyone can have an opportunity and Lashley shoved him to the floor. Lashley said Riddle was a loser and he is a winner, and tonight he is going to show him the difference.
Lashley then battled Riddle in a non-title match. Lashley attacked Riddle during his entrance and launched him into the barricade. The WWE Champion continued to dominate as RAW went to a break.
When RAW returned, Lashley slammed Riddle to the canvas and unloaded some punches. Riddle finally was able to get in some offense and connected with a few kicks. Riddle hit a knee to the face and made his way to the top rope. Riddle went for a Senton but Lashley caught him in the Hurt Lock for the submission victory.
The Viking Raiders Returned
Viking Raiders made their return tonight and faced Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin. Cedric and Shelton got the jobber entrance for this match. Alexander and Benjamin isolated Erik in the ring to start off the action. Benjamin hit a knee to the face for a near fall.
Ivar finally tagged in and unloaded some strikes to Shelton Benjamin. Ivar planted Shelton with a Side Slam and followed it up with a Crossbody. Shelton kneed Ivar in the midsection but he shrugged it off and slammed Benjamin to the mat. Cedric tagged in and walked into a Clothesline. Ivar squashed Alexander in the corner and they followed it up with the Viking Experience for the pinfall victory.
Charlotte Flair Complained For Five Minutes
Charlotte Flair made her way to the ring and noted that she wasn’t on WrestleMania. Flair stated that she is a franchise player and what she does in the ring is sacred to her family. Charlotte added that it wasn’t her fault that she was on WrestleMania and Asuka didn’t accept her challenge.
Flair said Rhea Ripley is the biggest snake in the locker room and claimed that Asuka manipulated her way into a rematch tonight. Charlotte listed every female in the locker room and said that nobody compares to her.
Flair told all the fans who think she steals opportunities from their favorites, she is not going to apologize for being too good. Charlotte demanded that everyone show her some respect and to enjoy the title match that she should have been in.
Asuka vs. Ripley Was A Botchfest
Rhea Ripley defended the RAW Women’s Championship against Asuka in a rematch from Night 2 of WrestleMania 37. Rhea Ripley controlled the action early as RAW went to a break. When RAW returned, Ripley leveled Asuka with a Clothesline and launched her into the turnbuckle.
Asuka leveled Ripley with a Dropkick off the top rope and bought herself some time to regroup. Asuka hit the Hip Attack and went for the cover but Rhea powered out at two. Asuka missed with a Dropkick and Ripley applied a submission hold.
Asuka reached the ropes and then a series of botches occurred where it looked like Rhea and Asuka were completely lost. Asuka and Rhea then battled outside the ring and Charlotte Flair attacked them both to mercifully end the match. Charlotte then mocked them both before leaving.
Opinion: I have no idea what the hell happened with this match but Jim Ross would describe it as “bowling shoe ugly”. Rhea and Asuka looked like they’ve wrestled a match before tonight. It was bizarre to watch the botches mount up and it just made both superstars look terrible. It was a wonderful moment when Charlotte interfered because it just signified that the match was over.
Alexa Bliss Has An Evil Puppet
Alexa Bliss cut a promo from her swing set. Bliss said once upon a time there was a little girl who lost but one day she was rescued from the darkness. The darkness protected her and taught her everything it knew. Bliss said that the darkness went away and that was when the little girl realized that she never needed the darkness after all. Alexa realized that she can do everything on her own and that the darkness was standing in her way. Bliss added that she has unlocked something truly evil and introduced “Lily”, her new puppet friend.
Miz & Morrison def. Damian Priest
The Miz, John Morrison, and Maryse came to the ring for an episode of Miz TV to hype their reality show airing after RAW. Miz claimed he turned Bad Bunny into a WWE superstar and rolled highlights of him at WrestleMania. Damian Priest interrupted and said Bad Bunny put in the work to live his dream in a WWE ring.
Miz mocked Priest because he was upstaged by Bad Bunny and failed to have a WrestleMania moment. Miz and Morrison challenged Priest to a Handicap match and Damian accepted. Priest beat Miz down in the corner to start off the match.
Morrison tagged in and hit Damian with an Elbow Drop for a two count. Priest booted Morrison int he face and hit him with a Splash in the corner. Priest hit Miz with a Chokeslam and went for the cover but Morrison broke it up at two. Maryse hopped up on the apron for a distraction and Miz was down to his underwear. Miz rolled up Damian and used the ropes for leverage for the pinfall victory.
Opinion: I guess someone will have to explain to me why this match needed to happen in the first place, and why Damian Priest lost it to The Miz in his underwear.
Shayna & Nia Won Via Countout
Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler faced Dana Brooke & Mandy Rose in a non-title match tonight. The champs controlled the match early and isolated Dana Brooke in the ring. Shayna bounced Dana’s head off the turnbuckle and Nia followed it up with an elbow to the midsection for a two count. Jax then applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Mandy tagged in and got in some offense before Nia slipped on the apron. Mandy and Dana laughed and then ran away because Nia was pissed to end the match in a countout.
Opinion: Unfortunately, this show has been terrible so far. It was a funny moment that Mandy Rose slipped during her entrance for the Tag Team Turmoil match during Night 1. However, a funny moment is all that it was and it has passed. As Shane McMahon would say, this was stupid. What kind of babyface team purposely loses a match by countout?
New Day def. Elias & Ryker
Elias and Jaxson Ryker went to perform a song to honor Shane McMahon but New Day interrupted and mocked them. Ryker and Elias then battled New Day in a Tag Team match. New Day controlled the match early as RAW went to a break.
When RAW returned, Woods went for a Crossbody but Ryker caught him with an elbow to the face. Elias tagged in and went for the cover but Woods kicked out at two. Ryker hit a Backbreaker but Woods kicked out at two again. Kofi finally got the tag and sent Ryker out of the ring.
Kington hit Elias with a Dropkick and followed it up with a Double Stomp for a near fall. Kingston connected with a Backbreaker and tagged in Woods. Xavier connected with a Stomp off the top rope for the pinfall victory.
Firefly Fun House Returned
Bray Wyatt returned for a new episode of Firefly Fun House. Abby the Witch referred to Alexa Bliss as a “b*tch” and Bray said “witches be wildin”. Wyatt claimed that he felt great and it is time for a brand new start for all of us. Bray said he feels reborn and there will be no more clout chasing in this simulation.
McIntyre Earned A Rematch Against Lashley
MVP came to the ring and was about to introduce Bobby Lashley for a championship celebration. Drew McIntyre interrupted and said he is man enough to admit he made the first mistake at WrestleMania when he allowed MVP to distract him.
McIntyre told MVP to keep growing Lashley’s ego and dress him in the fancy suits. Drew added that he wants Lashley’s head as big as possible because eventually he is going to have a rematch. McIntyre said when he hits the Claymore, Lashley will fall all the way down and look up at him as the new WWE Champion.
Braun Strowman joined the party and got in McIntyre’s face. Randy Orton came down to the ring as well before Adam Pearce interrupted. Pearce announced that Orton, Strowman, and McIntyre will have a Triple Threat match tonight. The winner will face Lashley at the next PPV called “WrestleMania Backlash”.
Strowman, McIntyre, and Orton battled in the main event. Orton rolled out of the ring as Strowman hit McIntyre with some chops in the corner of the ring. The action spilled to the outside and McIntyre bashed Strowman in the face with the steel steps. Orton then slammed McIntyre onto the announce table as RAW went to a commercial break.
When RAW returned, Orton and McIntyre teamed up and sent Strowman out of the ring. Orton leveled Drew with a Clothesline and stomped on his hand. Orton launched McIntyre over the announce table and to the floor outside the ring. Strowman hit McIntyre with the steel steps and delivered a Clothesline to Orton.
Braun bashed Drew in the face again with the steel steps and rolled Randy into the ring. Orton caught Strowman in the ropes and planted him with the draping DDT. Orton hit the RKO but McIntyre broke up the cover at two with a Claymore to Orton. McIntyre then pinned Orton to win the match and earned a rematch against Lashley at WrestleMania Backlash. After the match, MVP showed up on the entrance ramp. T-Bar and Mace attacked McIntyre to close the show.
Opinion: I was shocked at how bad this week’s show was. I don’t want to see McIntyre versus Lashley again and why T-Bar & Mace have replaced Alexander & Benjamin is beyond me. There really isn’t much positive to say about this show and that is incredibly disappointing for the RAW after WrestleMania.
