WWE Raw TV Results
May 6, 2013 - Episode #1,040
Live in Roanoke, Va.
Aired on USA Network
Report by James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

After Triple H left the ring, WWE replayed events earlier tonight when Ryback and Kane had a backstage confrontation to set up their TV main event tonight.

Still to come: Kane vs. Ryback, which the announcers promoted as a first-time-ever match-up.

[Q10] [Commercial Break]

In-ring: A.J. Lee's music played to bring out A.J. and the Bella Twins for a six-Divas tag match. A.J. skipped down to the ring, while the Bellas followed from a distance. Cole then plugged the Bellas starring in "Total Divas," which starts this July on E! This led to a video package promoting the new show. After the video aired, Divas champion Kaitlyn and Cameron & Naomi were introduced as the face trio. Before the bell sounded, Cole randomly read a plug for The Rock's App with a new update.

7 -- A.J. LEE & BELLA TWINS vs. Divas champion KAITLYN & CAMERON & NAOMI -- six-Divas tag match

Waiting for a Great Khali "stooge" sighting here. A.J. started in control of the action before Cameron escaped and tagged in Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn stalked A.J., who slapped her former best friend. That was enough for Kaitlyn, who smashed A.J. and pinned her for the win.

WINNERS: Team Kaitlyn at 2:48.

Backstage: Mark Henry was shown walking down the hallway. He has a message for Sheamus up next.

[Commercial Break]

Coming back from break, Diddy provided an anti-bulling P.S.A., focusing on online bullying. Diddy said it has to stop.

Henry-Sheamus Segment

In-ring: Mark Henry's music played to bring out Henry, whose presence filled the entire camera shot. Henry marched to the ring as Cole recapped the Henry-Sheamus issues from the past few weeks, then JBL accused Sheamus of taking cheap-shots at Henry. Cole said Henry started it.

[Q11] In the ring, Henry said Sheamus is going to come out here in a couple of minutes (cheers) and he's going to act real tough, but that's the problem. He's acting. Henry said he doesn't have to act because he is tough. He said he will show what happens when Sheamus (what?), when Sheamus (what?!), when Sheamus (what?!?!) - "You're all a bunch of puppets," Henry said - when Sheamus meets the World's Strongest Man again. They cut to footage from last month when Henry destroyed Sheamus in separate backstage attacks.

Back in the ring, Henry asked the camera to zoom in real close because if Sheamus has any pride in that pasty body, he will face him at Extreme Rules. Henry paused and said it's been a long time since he got extreme, but, Sheamus, he promises people will remember this match...for the rest of existence. Henry said he has a special wing ---

Suddenly, Sheamus's music played. Sheamus came out pounding his chest, then marched down to the ring to confront Henry. Sheamus asked Mark how he's doing, then said he came out here because that video was missing something. Sheamus, with a yellow mark under his eye that was apparently a shiner (or ill-placed highlighter ink), pointed to the Tron to show video of Sheamus using dirty tactics to "outsmart" Henry.

Back in the ring, Henry was not amused. Henry said Sheamus is full of jokes, but he better be serious when they meet at Extreme Rules. Sheamus replied that just because Henry is big and strong doesn't give him the right to walk around like an angry bear. Sheamus said that at Extreme Rules, his business is him. Henry then told Sheamus he doesn't have to wait for Extreme Rules and threw down his mic.

Sheamus removed his t-shirt and they circled the ring, but Wade Barrett's music interrupted. Cole said they already have a match scheduled right now between Sheamus and Wade Barrett. Cole said he thinks Henry was talking tough because he knew Sheamus already had an engagement with Barrett.

[Commercial Break]

8 -- IC champion WADE BARRETT vs. SHEAMUS -- non-title match

The match was joined in progress with Barrett working on a headlock. Meanwhile, Mark Henry was on commentary sitting next to fellow Texan, JBL. Henry told Cole to shut up as Sheamus made a comeback in the ring. Henry then told Bradshaw to carry this as Sheamus delivered ten forearms to Barrett's chest. Barrett found himself on the floor, then Sheamus teased chucking Barrett into Henry, but pulled away. Henry, having freaked out in his chair, angrily stood up and walked right into a Brogue Kick from Sheamus.

Back in the ring, Sheamus climbed to the top rope and shoulder-tackled Barrett for a nearfall. Meanwhile, medics checked on Henry, who sold the effects of the Brogue Kick to the floor. Barrett then blasted Sheamus with consecutive kick strikes as the announcers offered a "snooker" vs. "Snookie" exchange. Back in the ring, Barrett wanted the Bullhammer, but Sheamus ducked and nailed White Noise. Sheamus wanted the Brogue Kick, and he connected square in the mouth. Sheamus covered and it was good for the win.

WINNER: Sheamus at 4:38. Rough night for the Intercontinental champion.

Post-match, Mark Henry stormed the ring immediately after the bell with a belt in his possession. Henry proceeded to whip Sheamus's exposed back over and over again. Lawler said he thinks Henry got the belt from one of the medics. To the floor they went, where Henry whipped Sheamus. "Tell me a joke," Henry amazingly said in-between whips. "I don't hear you. Get your ass up." Henry then finished Sheamus's night with World's Strongest Slam. "How funny is that?!" Henry shouted toward the front row.

[Q12] On the way out, Henry whipped the guardrail to scare away front-row fans. WWE then replayed how Henry stole the belt before using it to whip Sheamus over and over again. They cut to a live shot of Sheamus's back covered with belt marks as JBL described this is as a good ol' fashioned East Texas whipping. A final shot of Henry on-stage concluded the segment.

Tale of the Tape: Ryback vs. Kane still to come in the TV main event. Monster vs. Monster up next.

[Commercial Break]

Video package: Fandango. Next Monday, for the first time ever, Fandango battles Chris Jericho... in a dance-off. The announcer said that with the weight of hyping Rock vs. Cena at WrestleMania.

Earlier Tonight: Paul Heyman showed footage of Brock Lesnar and Heyman invading WWE HQ. The footage included Heyman's barb about Stephanie McMahon, then Lesnar using Hunter's sledgehammer to destroy Hunter's office. There goes the lamp and plasma screen TV.

In-ring: WWE tag champion Kane was introduced to the ring for the main event. No Daniel Bryan accompanying Kane. Before Ryback was introduced, JBL said he thinks Steven Spielberg booked this match. Ryback then came out to a tepid reaction and WWE announced Chris Jericho hosting the Highlight Reel with Ryback as guest this Friday on Smackdown.

9 -- WWE tag champion KANE vs. RYBACK

Ryback clotheslined Kane over the top rope to the floor, but Kane landed on his feet and dragged Ryback to the floor. They brawled on the outside leading to break.

[Commercial Break]

[Q13 -- over-run] Raw returned at the top of the hour with Ryback covering Kane for a two count back in the ring. Ryback continued to work on Kane as Cole reset the show. Cole claimed it has been an eventful night on Raw, then recapped that the top angle of the show... occurred earlier in the day when Heyman and Lesnar invaded WWE HQ. Kane teased a comeback, but Ryback spinebustered him. JBL noted that John Cena is somewhere in the building watching this as Ryback teased Shell-Shock, but Kane countered with a suplex.

The two monsters battled to the top turnbuckle, where Ryback crotched Kane. Silence as Ryback tried to adjust Kane, then he woke up the crowd with a Shell-Shock tease. Ryback marched around the ring, then delivered it center-ring. Ryback covered for the win. JBL said Cena better be watching.

WINNER: Ryback at 8:43. Not a Raw main event to remember, which set up a post-match angle...

Post-match, Shield's music played to bring out Shield through the crowd. Suddenly, Daniel Bryan hit the ring to check on Kane, so Ryback bailed from the ring and disappeared to ringside. Bryan stood tall over Kane as Shield surrounded the ring, then John Cena's music played to bring out the WWE champion to stand next to Bryan. Kane disappeared as Shield surrounded the ring. Ryback then hit the ring with steel chair in-hand to send Shield packing.

But, Ryback waited for an opening to jab Cena in the gut with the chair before popping the chair over Cena's back. Ryback then stood over Cena and shouted into the hard camera, "Ryback Rules!" Cena, flat down on the mat, continued to sell as Ryback stood over him while the crowd booed. The credits came on the screen and Raw signed off six minutes past the top of the hour.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Three hours is just too much, which leads to shows like this week where the important, PPV-selling content is weighed down by fluff and filler. Even then, WWE isn't hitting high-points leading to Extreme Rules because there seems to be washes across the board. (1) Hunter blew off the Lesnar invasion angle vs. Hunter fired up the crowd to see him give Lesnar what's coming to him. (2) Cena undressed Ryback vs. Ryback stood tall over Cena. (3) Ryback beat Kane vs. Ryback needs to do more than just beat Kane in a TV main event to be taken seriously as a true threat to Cena's title.

Alerts: Follow PWTorch staffer's live, real-time tweets during Raw at Twitter.com/PWTorch/torch-staff .

We welcome your 0-10 score and comments on this show for a "Raw Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. To contribute your thoughts on Raw, email to pwtorch@gmail.com .

We suggest these recent related articles...

CALDWELL'S WWE RAW RESULTS 10/5: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of live Raw - Lesnar returns, Cena's Open Challenge, more

CALDWELL'S WWE RAW RESULTS 9/28: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of live Raw - John Cena's Open Challenge, Paul Heyman, Reigns vs. Wyatt main event, MizTV, more

CALDWELL'S WWE RAW RESULTS 9/21: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of live Raw - Night of Champions fall-out, Cena vs. Rollins U.S. Title re-match, Bizzaro Kane, more