SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW REPORT
APRIL 17, 2023
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, ARK. AT SIMMONS BANK ARENA
AIRED LIVE ON USA
REPORT BY MAURICIO POMARES, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Corey Graves, Kevin Patrick
[HOUR ONE]
– The show opened with The Usos, Solo Sikoa, and Paul Heyman making their way to the ring. Heyman said that tonight he’s got information, only for the Judgment Day to interrupt. Both groups faced off before Priest moved in front of Sikoa. Heyman said that he made a short-term deal approved by Roman Reigns. Jey Uso told Heyman that they weren’t told of this decision. Heyman said that the Tribal Chief wanted the Usos to be as surprised as everyone else.
– Heyman asked Sikoa to switch places with Jey, with Rhea Ripley immediately switching places with Finn Bálor to face Sikoa. Ripley claimed that there was no problem for now. Heyman said that Solo Sikoa would handle the Judgment Day’s problem of Bad Bunny. Meanwhile, the Judgment Day would face Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens and Matt Riddle tonight. Heyman announced that Sikoa would take on Rey Mysterio who immediately made his entrance for his match.
(Pomares’s Analysis: There is an interesting dynamic to be explored between the Judgment Day and the Bloodline. It probably won’t last beyond this week, but at least it should spice things up a bit.)
[Commercial Break]
(1) REY MYSTERIO vs. SOLO SIKOA
Rey caught Sikoa with a couple of kicks, only to receive a back elbow and a body slam. Sikoa pummeled Rey down, but his follow-up got countered into a springboard crossbody. Sikoa blasted Rey with a palm strike, followed by a headlock and a lariat. Rey tripped Sikoa into the turnbuckle pad and sent him over the ropes with a headscissors takedown, as WWE RAW went to commercials.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Rey got out of a shoulder lock and avoided a hip attack into the corner. Sikoa blocked a sunset flip pinfall, only to miss a seated senton. Rey nailed Sikoa with a basement dropkick, but he kicked out at one. Sikoa caught a springboard moonsault and laid him out with a Samoan drop for a nearfall. Rey sent Sikoa into the ropes and hit him with 619, setting him up for a slingshot splash and a two count. Rey tripped Sikoa into the ropes again, but got distracted by the Usos. The LWO showed up to assault the Usos, allowing Rey to send Sikoa back into the ropes. Rey took Sikoa down with a 619, only to miss a diving splash and fall to the Samoan Spike.
WINNER: Solo Sikoa in 13:00
– After the match, the Bloodline assaulted the LWO with Sikoa knocking each member out with the Samoan Spike.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Rey and Solo had a solid matchup, but it’s hard to get invested when there is always interference in the Bloodline’s matches. I like the LWO, but this is yet another week where they are beaten down for no good reason.)
– Earlier today, Chad Gable and Maxxine Dupri made their case to Adam Pearce about which brand Otis should go.
– A recap of Iyo Sky taking Bayley’s spot and becoming number one contender aired.
– Bianca Belair made her way to the ring for her match with Dakota Kai.
[Commercial Break]
(2) BIANCA BELAIR vs. DAKOTA KAI (w/Bayley & Iyo Sky)
Kai evaded a body slam and slammed her down by the hair. Belair tossed Kai across the ring by the hair and hit her with a dropkick. Belair planted Kai with a hip toss and a standing moonsault for a two count. Kai pulled Belair by the hair and clocked her with two back-to-back pump kicks, as WWE RAW went to an ad break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Kai countered a suplex with an inside cradle for a nearfall. Belair dropped Kai with a running blockbuster, setting her up for a couple of clotheslines and a dropkick. Belair laid Kai out with a delayed vertical suplex, followed by a handspring moonsault. Kai planted Belair with a cazadora facebuster, but she kicked out at two. Kai cracked Belair with a pump kick, only for her to retaliate with a tilt-a-whirl backbreak.er Belair went for the KOD and the Glam Slam, but Kai blocked both moves. Kai missed a knee strike in the corner, allowing Belair to finish her with the KOD.
WINNER: Bianca Belair in 9:00
(Pomares’s Analysis: A pretty good match to continue the build to the title match, but I’m surprised there wasn’t any real follow-up angle between Belair and Sky.)
– A recap of Brock Lesnar’s assault Cody Rhodes aired.
– Cody Rhodes was shown making his way to the ring backstage.
– A video package aired, focusing on Bronson Reed’s problems and his mother calling him “Mr. Nice Guy”.
– At backstage, Paul Heyman asked the Judgment Day if they were satisfied, only for Finn Bálor’s response to be “Eh”.
– Cody Rhodes made his way to the ring and immediately called out Brock Lesnar. Adam Pearce interrupted and told him that he isn’t medically cleared. Cody started walking away before pulling out a steel chair and returning to the ring. Pearce brought out security guards to take Cody to the back, only for Brock Lesnar to interrupt. Pearce pleaded with Cody and gave him the match with Lesnar at Backlash. Cody beat down the guards and ran towards Lesnar, but a swarm of guards stopped him. Lesnar walked away, as Cody continued assaulting the guards. Cody grabbed a mic and said that Lesnar isn’t a cowboy, he is a coward.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Cody Rhodes beating down a bunch of security guards is a fun segment on paper, but it felt forced. I think they could have done something much more interesting to make the match official.)
[Commercial Break]
– At backstage, Brock Lesnar was shown walking away from the arena, as a graphic confirmed the matchup for Backlash.
– As Seth Rollins made his way to the ring, The Miz attacked him from behind and smashed him into the steel steps.
(3) SETH ROLLINS vs. THE MIZ
Once they returned to the ring, Miz cornered Rollins with shoulder strikes. Rollins blocked the clothesline into the ropes with a leaping lariat. Rollins clotheslined Miz out of the ring, setting him up for a series of suicide dives. Miz shoved Rollins down while he was on the barricade, as Raw went to a commercial break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Miz blocked the Pedigree before receiving an enzuigiri. Rollins knocked Miz down with a clothesline, following it with a sling blade for a two count. Miz evaded a powerbomb and cracked Rollins with a lung blower for a nearfall. Rollins blocked a kick to the chest and hit him with a buckle bomb. Miz blocked a Frog Splash with his knees and trapped Rollins with an inside cradle for a close two count.
They traded roll-throughs, until Miz surprised Rollins with a double knee drop to the leg. Miz locked in the Figure 4, until Rollins reached the ropes. Rollins blasted Miz with two elbow strikes, but hurt his leg after missing the Curb Stomp. Miz spiked Rollins with two back-to-back DDTs for a close nearfall. Rollins blocked an avalanche Skull Crushing Finale, countering it with the superplex and Falcon Arrow combination. Rollins finished Miz with the Curb Stomp for the victory.
WINNER: Seth Rollins in 12:00
(Pomares’s Analysis: I’m torn on how to feel about Seth Rollins and The Miz’s match. On one hand, it was a genuinely good match with a hot crowd. On the other hand, Miz has been portrayed as a such a non-threat for so long that him pushing Rollins to the limit felt incredibly out-of-place.)
– At backstage, Sami Zayn tried to workshop ideas with Kevin Owens and Matt Riddle. Owens wasn’t interested in hearing what Riddle had to say, but Sami insisted on letting him talk. Riddle talked about kicking Sikoa in the throat and calling it the Toe-Bro, angering Owens. Riddle got serious, said that he was joking, that he wasn’t here to waste their time and that he was here to kick the Bloodline’s ass.
[Commercial Break]
– A recap of Trish Stratus turning on Becky Lynch aired.
– Bobby Lashley made his way to the ring for his match against Austin Theory.
(4) AUSTIN THEORY vs. BOBBY LASHLEY
Lashley knocked Theory down with a shoulder tackle and a waist lock takedown. Lashley planted Theory with a delayed vertical suplex before clotheslining him over the ropes. Theory avoided a clothesline, only to fall to a flatliner. Theory evaded the Hurt Lock and kicked Lashley away, setting him up for a series of kicks. Lashley cornered Theory with shoulder strikes, forcing Theory to retreat to ringside. Theory tried to blindside Lashley at ringside, but got his head driven into the ring post, as WWE RAW went to commercials.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Theory attacked Lashley with a bite and a pair of shots into the ring post and a stomp for a two count. Theory put Lashley in a lengthy headlock and immediately hit him with a chop block when he got up. Theory clocked Lashley with a forearm strike, but he kicked out at two. Lashley evaded a shoulder strike, making Theory crash into the ring post. Lashley floored Theory with a one-armed spinebuster, followed by shoulder strikes and a clothesline. Theory went for A-Town Down, but Lashley countered it with the Dominator for a two count. Lashley caught the rolling dropkick and put Theory in the Hurt Lock. Bronson Reed showed up and ended the match with a splash on both men in the corner.
WINNER: No Contest in 12:00
– After the match, Bronson Reed crushed Lashley with a splash into the ring post. Lashley managed to put Reed in the Hurt Lock, but Theory broke it with a rolling dropkick. Reed laid Lashley out with a Samoan drop and a Tsunami.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Bronson Reed interfering in this match makes sense and the post-match assault was good, but I’m getting tired of every single Theory match ending with some sort of shenanigans.
– Trish Stratus made her way to the ring.
[Commercial Break]
– Trish Stratus said that when she arrived at WWE, women’s wrestling was a joke and she changed everything by herself. Stratus said that she chose to hang around Lynch because she wanted to see if she believed her own hype of creating the women’s revolution. She said that Lynch never thanked her for opening the door for her and making her career possible. Stratus said that she was nobody’s sidekick and she was sad she had to take out Lita backstage. Stratus finished by saying that she is the greatest of all time and she’s here to make sure no one forgets it.
(Pomares’s Analysis: Trish Stratus’ delivery was very good, but it was hurt by the piped-in crowd noises and the lack of logic in her explanation.)
– At backstage, Cathy Kelley interviewed Cody Rhodes about his match at Backlash. Cody talked about how confused he is that Lesnar walked away from him. Cody said that he
backed Lesnar into a corner and the only way out is to win.
– Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan made their way to the ring to watch the next match.
[Commercial Break]
(5) SONYA DEVILLE & CHELSEA GREEN vs. CANDICE LERAE & MICHIN
Michin drove Green into her corner, setting her up for a senton from LeRae. LeRae countered a double suplex with a double DDT before hitting Deville with a senton. LeRae got distracted with Nikki Cross in the crowd, allowing Deville to blast her with a knee strike for a two count. Green and Deville planted LeRae with a double suplex, but missed an elbow drop, allowing Michin to tag in. Michin knocked Deville down with a hurracarrana, followed by stereo dropkicks alongside LeRae. Michin dropped Deville with Code Blue, but Green broke the pinfall. Green swept LeRae off the apron, allowing Deville to get a nearfall out of a roll up using the ropes. Green saved Deville from Eat Defeat and knocked Michin with the Unprettier.
WINNERS: Sonya Deville & Chelsea Green in 4:00
(Pomares’s Analysis: Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green picked up a much needed win ahead of their title match on SmackDown. Still waiting for this Nikki Cross and Candice LeRae story to go somewhere.)
– After the match, Green and Deville threw a drink at Liv Morgan, immediately escaping afterwards.
[Commercial Break]
– At backstage, Rick Boogs was confused about being drafted after just arriving to RAW. The Street Profits tried to respond, only for Baron Corbin to interrupt and suggest they could be split in the Draft. The Profits left to talk with Adam Pearce while Akira Tozawa showed up to tell Elias that he would be the last pick and call Corbin a loser.
– At backstage, the Usos said they would beat Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens and Matt Riddle at Backlash.
(6) SAMI ZAYN & KEVIN OWENS & MATT RIDDLE vs. JUDGMENT DAY (Damian Priest, Finn Bálor & Dominik Mysterio w/Rhea Ripley)
Sami took control early on with a couple of arm drags on Finn, being forced to tag out. Owens attacked Priest with shoulder tackles, a dropkick and a senton. Owens blocked a crucifix pin from Finn and planted him with a Samoan drop. Finn kicked Owens out of the ring, setting him up for a lariat from Ripley behind the referee’s back. Owens caught Finn with a thrust kick, reaching Riddle for the hot tag. Riddle attacked Dominik with a Pele kick, followed by a series of forearms on Finn and Priest. Riddle took Finn down with a Xploder and a fisherman suplex for a neafall. Finn raked Riddle’s eyes, only to get sent out of the ring alongside Dominik. Priest stopped Riddle before the springboard Floating Bro and chokeslammed him on the apron, as WWE RAW went to its final commercial break.
[Commercial Break]
Back from break, Priest blasted Riddle with an elbow strike, followed by a stomp from Finn and a slingshot senton from Dominik. Finn and Priest nailed Riddle with a backbreaker and leg drop combination for a two count. Riddle floored Dominik with a German suplex, reaching Sami for the hot tag. Sami took Dominik down with a back body drop and sent Priest & Finn out of the ring. Dominik stopped Sami on the top turnbuckle, only to receive a sunset flip powerbomb. Ripley shoved Sami into a low blow on the ropes behind the referee’s back, setting him up for a Frog Splash from Dominik.
Finn knocked Owens down with a dropkick before receiving a pump knee from Riddle. Priest laid Riddle out with a flatliner, only to get clotheslined over the ropes by Sami. Ripley grabbed Sami’s leg, but the referee noticed and ejected her. Dominik tried to roll up Sami, but he responded with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. Dominik blocked a Swanton Bomb with his knees, allowing Finn to hit Owens with a shotgun dropkick. Finn missed the Coup de Grace and received a Stunner from Owens. Owens hit Priest with a Stunner while Sami and Riddle finished Finn with a Helluva Kick and a Floating Bro.
WINNERS: Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens & Matt Riddle in 12:00
– After the match, the Bloodline assaulted Sami, Owens and Sikoa, only for the LWO to make the save. The LWO helped Rey hit Dominik with a 619 while Owens laid Priest out with a back suplex on the announce table. Both groups stood tall, as the show came to an end.
(Pomares’s Analysis: As expected these two teams had a great match with a hot crowd and the babyface team finally picked up a meaningful victory. The post-match angle felt chaotic in a positive way and it made me happy to finally see the LWO stand tall in one of these segments.)
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.