Raw Review 04/15/2019

Tonight is the WWE Superstar Shake-Up! Who will come from Raw to SmackDown and SmackDown to Raw?! For champions on Raw such as Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, and Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder what new challengers will come to Raw? Plus, what will happen with Beck Lynch as she is both the Raw and SmackDown Live Women’s Champion? The whole landscape of WWE can change these next two days and we have to wait to see what happens! The next two nights will set forth the stage leading to WrestleMania 36, let’s see where the superstars land!

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Raw comes to us from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Raw kicks off with us being welcomed by Michael Cole, Renee Young, and Corey Graves

In Ring Segment: Stephanie McMahon
Stephanie starts by welcoming everyone to Monday Night Raw and SuperStar Shake-Up. She tells everyone to give a standing ovation to The Best In The world Shane McMahon!
Stpenahie jokes and says they love us in Canada and asks how she did with the introduction. Shane says it was amazing and then asks to be introduced properly. Mike Rome introduces Shane and then the crowd chants for CM Punk. Stephanie and Shane then play to the crowd. She then announces how tonight and thorough SmackDown tomorrow every part of the roster is subject to change. Stephanie and Shane tell how every superstar now starts the long road to next year’s WrestleMania. Shane shows some pictures of him grabbing Miz’s father and then the Miz. Stephanie says they were amazing moments but without further, she is then cut off and The Miz’s music hits. Miz comes from behind and attacks Shane. Miz gets back in control and tees off on The Miz one the outside/ Miz hits Shane with a chair and continues the assault. Miz stands tall in the ring as Shane retreats.
My Opinion:
A huge way to start off the night with Miz coming to Raw! Miz has done so much to make himself an A+ player and he will make a huge impact on Raw. For Miz, I can see him coming back for that IC title or maybe even a Universal Title run. Miz is awesome and he creates so many amazing moments and has so many amazing matches. He is a welcome addition to Monday Night’s and we love having him! I hope his run on Raw is as good as it was back during the past couple years!

Match 1: Ricochet & Aleister Black & Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder vs The Revival & The Viking Experience (Erik & Ivar)  (FKA The War Raiders)
Hawkins and Dawson lock up and Hawkins is quickly taken down. Hawkins fights back and lands an arm drag to takedown Dawson. Ryder gets the tag and they double team, Dawson. Ryder tries a pin but can’t get the three. Ricochet gets the tag and works Dawson some before tagging Black. Black works on Dawson but is brought into the corner. Wilder gets the tag but Black fights back. Wilder is able to get in control and gets Black in the corner. Ivar works Black and takes him to the mat. He then hits him with an elbow. Dawson comes in and hits Black. Wilder comes back in and Black is able to bring him to the corner. Ricochet gets the cover an the and Black work a double team. Wilder comes back and hits Black on the ropes. Black fights back but is taken down by a double team form The Viking Experience. The teams then all go at it. Ricochet, Black, and the tag team champions hold their ground as Raw goes to break.
As Raw returns, Hawkins tries to fight back but he is worked by The Viking Experiences. Hawkins is able to work out of a cover but he is still on the defensive. More double team by The Viking Experience but it isn’t enough to put away Hawkins. Hawkins tries to make a tag but he is blasted by Erik. The Viking Experience continues to trade tags and once again Hawkins is taken to the mat. Wilder comes in and hits Hawkins with a series of boots. Dawson comes in and The Revival double team Hawkins. Dawson tries a cover but Hawkins kicks out. Wilder and Dawson double team him again but Wilder can’t get the three on the cover. Wilder works a chin lock and keeps Hawkins grounded on the mat. Hawkins fights to his feet and is able to bounce Wilder off the turnbuckle. Dawson gets the tag but can’t stop Hawkins from getting a tag of his own. Ryder comes in and takes it to Dawson. He hits Dawson with a dropkick and the plants him face first. He hits him with forearms in the corner and it starts to breakdown as the teams get involved. Ryder is able to take down Erik from the top rope but can’t put him away. Ricochet dumbs Dawson as Black contributes. The Viking Experience stands in the ring and takes it to Hawkins throwing him to the outside. Ryder tries to fight back but is hit with a knee. The Viking Experience hits the Fall Out on Ryder and gets the 1 2 3.
Winners: The Revival & The Viking Experience
My Opinion:
Huge debut for The Viking Experience. They are the reigning NXT Tag champs and on they are on Raw. they showed tonight how powerful they are and they are sure to make an impact on Monday Night’s. The Revival showed they are a dominant team and are ready for any challenge. We will see if the Revival stay on Raw or get to try their hand on SmackDown. As for Ryder and Hawkins and Ricochet and Black, they have to regroup and see what comes next. Hopefully, they come back and continue on with their fights as they all have done amazing lately!

Match 2: Finn Balor vs Andrade w/ Zelina Vega
*** Zelina welcomes herself and Andrade to Raw. Zelina tells us how Andrade has showcased his talents and done many extraordinary things on Smackdown Live. She tells us how Andrade knows many languages. She then hands Andrade the mic who talks in French (actually Spanish).
Andrade is able to take down Balor. He gets him in the corner and hits him with a knee.  He tries a cover but Balor kicks out. Balor tries to fight back but Andrade stays on him. Balor is able to stay the course and land a basement dropkick. Balor catches him with a back elbow but Andrade fights back. Andrade tries to hold up on the ropes but is hit with a dropkick. Balor is able to take Andrade to the floor and tries a kick but Andrade moves Vega in the way. Andrade takes advantage and drops Balor to the floor as Raw goes to break.
As Raw returns, Balor is able to move out of the way and Andrade runs into the turnbuckles. Balor is able to fight back now and land a dropkick in the corner. Balor then lands a kick in the corner. Andrade goes after the injured knee of Balor. Andrade tries to capitalize but Balor counters and lands an elbow to the chest. Balor lands a sling blade on Andrade. Andrade comes back and lands a huge kick to the back of the neck. Andrade goes for the cover but Balor kicks out. Andrade tries to fly but Balor catches him with knees to the mid-section. Balor drops him in the corner and the goes to the top. Andrade knocks him down and takes advantage. Balor is able to move out of the way in the corner and hit him with a kick. Balor goes back to the top but misses on the Coupe de Grace. Andrade catches him with a back elbow but Balor counters with a cover on the pin. Balor kicks out of the cover. Vega on the outside takes out Balor as Andrade distracts the ref. Andrade grabs Balor on the outside and brings him in the ring. Andrade hits the hammerlock DDT and gets the 1 2 3 on the cover.
Winner: Andrade
My Opinion:
Huge win for Andrade! This is really big for him to pin the IC Champion on his debut on Raw. He and Vega are a force to be reckoned with and I think Andrade will benefit immensely from feuding for the IC Title. Andrade deserves a run as champion and with Vega by his side, there is no doubt he can do it. I love Andrade and his in-ring skills. Plus, with Vega, this man has a chance to be one of the great champions. Let’s hope he gets a run on Raw and makes a name for himself even further than he has done on SmackDown!

In Ring Segment: Elias
Elias says his music is so powerful that is brought The Doctor of Thuganomics to interrupt him for the second ear in a row. It also brought The Deadman to rise from his grave. He says what is it that prompts these legends to interrupt this legend. He says he will be ready for Taker the next time around but it leads to the truth that everyone knows that WWE stands for (Walk With Elias). He says the Belle Centre s packed and jokes that they could feel this energy regularly if the Canadians were good enough to make the playoffs. Elias is then interrupted by Rey Mysterio!!!
Mysterio makes a b-line for him but he moves out of the ring. Elias tries to sneak attack him but Mysterio is ready. Mysterio takes it to him and then sends him out of the ring. Out comes Lars Sullivan.
Mysterio hits him and then when Lars gets in the ring he hammers on him. Mysterio uses his quickness but Sullivan catches him. Mysterio continues to fight but Sullivan grabs him again. Mysterio goes after his leg but he is then caught and slammed to the mat. Sullivan grabs him again and hits a sit-down powerbomb.
My Opinion:
First, it is amazing to see Rey on Raw! I love Rey and obviously, he is a living legend and there are so many matches on Raw we want to see him have like against Balor, Rollins, or even a Reigns! For Sullivan, he once again makes a big impact. Sullivan is now making a name taking out legends and if he continues he is setting himself up for a huge career. Sullivan is a Freak like they say and there is no doubt he is ready to be in a big program. We will see how long Sullivan runs attacks before heading into the ring for some real competition. Sullivan is set up to be the next big man but he better run with it before some like Strowman catches up with him.

Match 3: Bobby Roode & Chad Gable vs The Usos
*** Roode says there have a lot of changes here tonight but the one thing that won’t change is that when he and Gable are on their game they can defeat any tag team here in the WWE. Gable says they are on their game tonight and they don’t care where the team comes from they are right here. Out comes The Usos!
Gable controls Jimmy taking him down to the mat. Gable stays on him but Jimmy fights back and is able to get to his corner to tag Jey. Jey works on Gable but is then distracted by Roode and is hit behind from Gable. Roode then takes out Jey on the outside. Roode gets the tag and throws Jey into the barricade. Roode takes down Jey and then tags Gable. Gable comes in and tries a submission with a modified cross face chicken wing. Gable lets go of the hold and tag Roode. Roode comes in with a chin lock and continues to keep Jey on the mat. Jey fights back and takes down Roode. Jimmy gets the tag and takes down Gable with clotheslines before hitting a Samoan drop. He then hits Gable in the corner and tries cover but Gable kicks out. Gable comes back and hits an armbar on the ropes. Roode comes in and they double team Jimmy with a blockbuster. Roode goes for the cover but can’t get the three. Jimmy fights back but Gable tries another cover but Jimmy kicks out. Jey gets the tag and The Usos go off with superkicks. Jimmy and Jey go up top and hit the double splash. Jey goes for the cover and gets the 1 2 3 for The Usos!!!
Winners: The Usos
My Opinion:
Awesome debut for The Usos! I love having them on Monday Night’s as they are one of the best tag teams in this industry today. They are bringing so much experience to Raw and I know they will be ready to make a run for the Raw Tag Team Championships. I know these are the guys to lead the tag division on the Raw brand and I can’t wait to see what they do. They have done so much and now they have the big stage of Raw to showcase their talents. Tonight is just the start of it but big things are to come, watch out for them Usos!!!

A Moment Of  Bliss: Sami Zayn
Blis says this could be her last moments on Raw so in case she wanted to give a proper goodbye in French and tonight’s guest is perfect for that. Out comes Sami Zayn.
Zayn calls the fans fish in a barrel and then speaks in French. He then says watch this and starts and Ola chant. Bliss says it is fantastic to see Sami Zayn back on Monday Night Raw. Zayn says he has been in this city all week and he loves this city. He says this city is great but it is the people he can’t stand. He says Montreal is world class but the people, god. He says the low point of his week is right now being in this room with all these people. He says he doesn’t really wanna be here tonight or do this show. He says the whole thing is funny because 9 months ago he would’ve been looking forward to this response but now the cheers make him a little sick. He says he doesn’t accept there cheers as he sees them as the fans projecting their failures. He says these aren’t even fans and they are too busy playing critic and kingmaker. He asks Zayn if his people are the problem with WWE because he is so perfect. He says these are not his people and he doesn’t even live here anymore. He says he moved to Orlando and he chose to leave Montreal before and he is doing the same right now. He says he knows where he is going. Zayn tells them see you in hell.
My Opinion:
This new Sami Zayn is interesting but I love it. Zayn is a great talent in the ring and I love that they are allowing him to run with what he says on the mic. He is a true talent and if WWE continues to allow him to be himself then he can run with this. He is getting the crowd to turn on him and it is awesome, he doesn’t even have tondo muhc and he gets the reaction. Zayn could be on the beginning stages of a big run but we will see what happens and for that matter if he ends up on SmackDown or stays on Raw.

Match 4: The IIconics vs Bayley & Naomi
Bayley attacks Kay as the match begins. She gets her in the corner and tags Naomi. Namoi brings her to the corner but is hit with a big boot from Kay. Royce gets the tag and takes it to Naomi. Royce takes her to the mat and hits her with a forearm. Royce then goes to the chin lock on the mat. Royce knocks Bayley off the apron and tags Kay after Naomi tries to turn things around. Naomi continues to fight but Bayley comes in and helps with a Bayley to Belly. Naomi hits a split leg moon sault and gets the 1 2 3 on the cover of Royce.
My Opinion:
Big, big, big win for Bayley and Naomi! Of course, this isn’t Bayley’s normal partner but this could be a suitable replacement for Bayley if Banks ends up being done with WWE or on Smackdown. For Naomi, she made a big impact and picked up the win for her team tonight. There is a lot of talent in terms of women on Raw but Naomi is a former champion in her own right so this will be a big chance for her to make an even bigger name. I love Naomi and I hope she comes back as hot as she used to be on SmackDown!

EC3 vs Braun Strowman
Before the match begins Braun attacks EC3. he takes him down in the ring and EC3 then tries to retreat. Braun follows him up the stage and throws him into the LED boards. Braun grabs him and then slams him through the stage. Out comes Becky Lynch for her match!

Match 5: Becky Lynch vs Ruby Riott w/ The Riott Squad
Riott starts with a stiff right. Lynch comes back with a takedown and goes to work on Riott. Lynch takes it to her in the corner and continues to move her around the ring. As Riott is sent to the outside she is taken out by Lynch off the apron. After distraction Riott gets back in control and slams Lynch on the mat. It isn’t enough to put her away but Riott stays on her with strikes. Riott then hits her with big kicks in the corner. Riott controls her on the mat with a modified chin lock. Lynch comes to her feet and hits her with strikes to the midsection. Lynch then hits her with a kick to the midsection and takes her to the mat. Lynch hits the Becksploder. Lynch is taken down by Riott and then hit with a huge impact on the midsection. Lynch stays on Riott and looks for the dis-arm-her but Riott is saved by The Riott Squad. Lynch then akes out Logan and Morgan. Lynch tries the hold again and this time Riott taps. The Riott Squad then tries to interfere but Lynch takes care of them.
Winner: Becky Lynch
My Opinion:
Becky 2 Belts stands tall once again! I love Lynch and obviously, she is on the role of her life. Becky is everything you want in a superstar and she is running with the opportunity she has been given. She is loved by the crowd and she gets it done in the ring. I am so proud of what she has done and it is amazing to see her growth over the years. I hope Lynch keeps this up and she goes down as one of the greatest champions in WWE history!

Backstage Segment:
Corbin tells Charly to please tell him she got traded to SmackDown. She says no and then asks Corbin, Mcintyre, and Lashley who they think the mystery partner will be. Mcintyre says he doesn’t give a damn. Corbin says they are gonna run them off of Raw. Rush then asks who is even stupid enough to team up with them tonight.

In Ring Segment:
Natalya congratulates Lynch on her win tonight and at WrestleMania. She says she has dreamed her entire life of main eventing Wrestlemania and tells Lynch that she and Charlotte and Ronda did that and made that a reality. She tells Lynch she was the first women to pin Rousey and the first women to win the Raw and SmackDown titles on the same night. She reminds Lynch of how she said all these women would be coming for her. She tells Lynch she is the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be. She tells Lynch is she coming for the Raw Women’s Championship and she should know that. Lynch says she has been in the trenches with overlooked women and says she knew she would have to hunt them down. Lynch says she is one of the ones how fought her life and says look at them now. She says Nattie is one who has built the Women’s Evolution and out comes Lacey Evans to interrupt.
Evans calls this adorable and says she admires Nattie’s determination. She tells them they need to stop the nonsense because a lady knows how to curry favor and use her influences to get what she wants. She says that now that she is officially on Monday Night Raw she wants the Raw Women’s Championship. She tells Nattie they are gonna face and the winner will be first in line. She tells Natalya she is gonna teach her a lesson with the Women’s right and tells Lynch to pay attention because a lady can teach a man a few things.
My Opinion:
I loved Natalya stepping up and coming out to Lynch. I think Natalya hasn’t been given the respect she deserves and a run as a champion should happen in the future. As for Evans I personally am not a fan, I think she is good in the ring but the character doesn’t do it for me. I see they are trying to push her but I think they are better off sticking with people like Natalya. Let’s see how this match plays out!

Match 6: Lacey Evans vs Natalya:
Winner will have a future opportunity at the Raw Women’s Championship
Evans tries to throw Natalya in the corner but Natalya fights back. She is able to land a basement dropkick and then dumps Evans out of the ring as Raw goes to break.
As Raw returns, Natalya lands a takedown and looks for the sharpshooter but Evans gets out of the way. Natalya hits her on the outside and lands a slap. Back in the ring Natalya drives her in the corner and continues with big strikes. Evans sidesteps her and Natalya goes into the turnbuckle. Evans works a submission hold and keeps Natalya grounded on the mat. Evans lands a big takedown and continues the attack on Natalya’s arm. Evans lands a big shoulder into Natala and goes back to the choke hold. Evans stays on her but Natalya works to her feet and breaks the hold. Natalya lands a big strike taking down Evans. Natalya locks in the sharpshooter and holds Evans in the middle of the ring. Evans gets the ropes. On the outside, Natalya drives Evans into the barricade. Back in the ring, Evans hits the Women’s Right. Evans then goes to the top and hits the moonsault. Evans goes for the cover and gets the 1 2 3.
Winner: Lacey Evans
My Opinion:
No surprise here with Evans winning, this is a huge win for her and I hope she runs with it. She is good in the ring and I hope the character will follow. It’ll be interesting to see how she and Lynch work together since Lynch is coming off a feud with two amazing talents like Charlotte and Rousey. It’ll be a tough transition but if Evans is her to stay she needs to step up in a big way.

Backstage Segment:
Rollins and Reigns tells Charly she has to wait to find out who their partner is. Rollins says life is good for them but for their opponent’s life won’t be so good. Rollins says this could be one of both of their last nights on Raw. Reigns says regardless they are tearing down Montreal tonight.

Match 7: Drew McIntyre & Bobby Lashley & Baron Corbin vs Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins & AJ Styles
Lashley gets Rollins in the corner and hammers on him. Rollins is able to stop him and tag Reigns. Reigns and Rollins double team and Reigns takes control. Styles gets the tag and Lashley is able to work him to the corner. Corbin comes in ut his momentum dies as Styles fights back with chops. Styles drops him to the mat with a dropkick and Mcintyre gets the tag as Corbin gets to his feet. Reigns get the tag and he and Mcintyre trade strikes. Reigns hits him with the corner with clotheslines but Mcintyre comes back with a Glasgow kiss. Reigns though won’t stay down. Mcintyre hits a suplex but again Reigns comes back. Mcintyre throws him tot he outside and tags Corbin. Corbin goes after Reigns and drives him into the barricade repeatedly. Corbin lifts Reigns in the ring and continues to keep control with a chokeslam backbreaker. Corbin tries a cover but Reigns kicks out at 2 as Raw goes to break.
As Raw returns, Rollins takes it to Corbin. He hits a sling blade and is in control. He tries a cover but Corbin kicks out. He hits a superkick and the hits a kick to the midsection but Corbin moves out of the way. Corbin hits him on the suicide dive attempt and tries a cover but Rollins kicks out. Corbin gets him in the corner and hangs up Rollins on the top rope. Rollins hits Corbin as he meets him up there. Rollins lands a kick and then hits a blockbuster. Styles and Lashley get the cover and Styles takes down Lashley. He then takes down Mcintyre. He hits Lashley in the corner and then lifts him. Lashley runs into a boot and then Styles hits a pay lay kick. Styles looks for the Styles Clash but is hit with a Clymore. Mcintyre intercepts a Superman punch and then throws Reigns. Reigns is able to finally take out Mcintyre on the outside with help from Rollins. Rollins then takes out Corbin. Styles hits Lashley with a forearm but Lashley then catches after a distraction form Rush. Rollins hits Lashley with a stomp and Reigns hits a spear. Styles then hits the Phenomenal forearm and gets the 1 2 3 for his team!
Winners: Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins & AJ Styles
My Opinion:
Yes AJ Styles is on Raw and what an impact he made! I love AJ and I love having him on Monday Nights, these three are top of the game right now and it was so cool seeing them out there together. Styles is gonna be a big challenger on Raw and if Rollins stays he has to look out for him. I hope Reigns will stay and the same for Rollins and we can see these three together or against each other at some point. Either way, this was a heck of a way to end the night and it shows the excitement the Superstar Shake-Up can bring!!!

Final Thoughts:
Tonight was a solid Raw! I love who we got in the Shake-Up, people such as Styles and The Usos and The Miz are game changers! Plus, we got Ricochet and Aleister Black and The Viking Experience! It’ll be interesting to see which Raw superstars make the jump but we have a very solid foundation right now. All the SmackDown superstars who came in made huge impacts tonight. I wish Mysterio could’ve done something bigger but he helped Lars out and I’m okay with that. I thought Braun Strowman made a huge statement taking out EC3, Lynch held her own against Riott, and Evans is on the path to the Raw Women’s Championship. I also loved seeing Naomi come in to pick up a big win with Bayley. Naomi has been underutilized for a long time so I hope she makes a huge come back on Raw! For the main event tonight I thought it was awesome! Seeing Reigns, Rollins, and Styles team up was a great way to end the night. I love those three and I hope Rollins and Reigns stay on Raw to feud with a guy like Styles. I can’t wait to see what happens tomorrow and what the landscape of Raw will be, we definitely have a lot of talent and we are ready to lead the charge to WrestleMania 36!!!
Overall Rating: 6.8/10