Raw Review 04/08/2019

Tonight is the Fall-Out Edition of Monday Night Raw following WrestleMania last night. Tonight after defeating both Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair for both women’s championships, what will Becky Lynch have to say to the WWE Universe. Plus, what will be next for Seth Rollins after defeating Brock Lesnar and winning the Universal Championship. Also, how will Bayley and Sasha Banks react after losing the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships? The Demon Finn Balor was able to defeat Bobby Lashley and reclaim the Intercontinental Championship but has this rivalry come to a close? Finally, what surprises will be I store for tonight as this is considered the most exciting Raw of the year?!

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Raw comes to us from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY.

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

In Ring Segment: Seth Rollins
Rollins tells the crowd we deserve it after a long you deserve it chants. He says he has waited a long long time to stand here and hold this title above his head. He said all it took was climbing Mount Everest to defeat one of the most dominant champions in WWE history. He says he feels terrible today and feels like he got run over by a Mack truck. He goes over the things that Lesnar did to him throughout the match and says he got back up. He then says he didn’t do anything to Brock that he wouldn’t do to him. He says he heard Lesnar and Heyman were going to Las Vegas and says they can saty there. He says he is the reigning, defending, fighting Universal Champion and he will be a champion everyone around the world can be proud of. Out comes The New Day!
Kofi tells Seth he seems real confused. Seth says it’s Monday, not Tuesday. Kofi says this ain’t the superstar shakeup either that’s happening next week. Big E says they have a cause for celebration and couldn’t wait for Tuesday’s. Woods then goes over how Rollins won the title last night and Rollins says they don’t like him. They then add that Kofi Kingston did the unthinkable. Big E tells how Kofi won the WWE title after 11 years and be the WWE Champion. Kofi says after the match he was in the locker room watching the main event and said that was a great idea for Becky Lynch so what he is saying is how bout the new Universal Champion and the new WWE Champion have a winner take all match right here tonight. Kofi says no Shield and no New Day, Just them one on one title for title. Rollins says challenge accepted!
My Opinion:
Wow, this is huge! What a match for Monday Night Raw with huge stakes! It seems like the brand split may be coming to an end but tonight will give us a good indication where things are gonna go. Both of these guys don’t deserve to lose their titles yet so it’ll be interesting to see who comes out on top. Rollins and Kingston have so much momentum going into this that it’s not gonna be easy for either one. This is a huge match we didn’t hunk we’d see and an example why this is such an exciting and unpredictable Raw!

Match 1: Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins vs The Revival: Raw Tag Team Championship Match
Ryder backs Dawson to the ropes but Dawson is able to gain control and bring Ryder to the corner. Wilder comes and Ryder and he square off. Wilder works a side headlock and brings Ryder to his knees. Ryder gets up and throws Wilder off the ropes but is hit with a clothesline. Ryder fights back and hits one of his own. Hawkins gets the tag but Wilder is able to gain control. He hits Hawkins and is able to tag Dawson. Dawson toys with Hawkins and mocks him. He hits him with a chop in the corner and drops him to the mat with a strike. Dawson works him on the mat but Hawkins gets back to his feet. Hawkins fights back and lands big rights and lefts in the corner. Wilder tried to help but is hit with an enziguri. The Revival get in control after Wilder successful helps out Dawson. Dawson hits Hawkins with an uppercut. The Revival is in control as Raw goes to break.
As Raw returns, Dawson grabs Hawkins but is hit with a knee by Hawkins. Ryder gets the tag after Wilder gets hung up. Ryder hits with knees and then hits a dropkick. He hits a back body drop and then a Broski boot. He tags Hawkins and Hawkins hits Wilder hard in the chest. He goes for a cover but Wilder kicks out. Wilder tries a duplex but fails. Hawkins tries a pin but Wilder kicks out. Ryder comes in and they try a double team but miss Wilder tries a pin but Ryder kicks out. Wilder holds Ryder and Dawson hits him with a knee off the top. Dawson tries a cover but Ryder kicks out. Ryder fights off a double team but then Dawson covers him. Ryder kicks out. Ryder is hit with the Shatter Machine but Hawkins is the legal guy. This allows Hawkins to pin Wilder and get the 1 2 3 to get the win for his team and retain the titles!
Winners: Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins
My Opinion:
Good for Hawkins and Ryder to retain the titles.  The Revival looked like they were gonna win the titles back but they just couldn’t overcome Hawkins and Ryder getting lucky once again. I see this title run as something similar to when the B Team had the titles but I feel like this one is an even better story. These guys have worked so hard and Hawkins had had an unfair second go so this is great to see he and Ryder remain on top. We will see how long they can hold on for.

In Ring Segment: Baron Corbin
Corbin tells the crowd boohoo. Corbin says for weeks he has listened to everyone say that Kurt Angle needed a better opponent. He says Angle chose him and he proved that Angle didn’t deserve to be in the same ring as him. He says he used to being doubted but he always proves them wrong. He tells that last night he proved he was better than an Olympic Gold Medalist and says he deserves one of his own. Out comes Kurt Angle!
Angle tells Corbin last night he was the bitter man and his career is officially over. He wishes Corbin all the luck in the world and shakes his hand. He then says bad luck and hits him with an Angle Slam. He then locks in the Ankle Lock. Angle then embraces the crowd. Out comes Lars Sullivan.
Sullivan gets in the ring and plants Angle. He then goes to the top and lands a flying headbutt.
My Opinion:
First I’m glad Angle got the last laugh on Corbin and made the crowd feel better. I think Angle got his closure with Corbin and it’s nice he got one more night on there. Second, gotta love Kurt though to help put Sullivan over. It’s about time that Sullivan has arrived and I hope they have big things planned for him. He made a huge statement tonight and I can’t wait to see what this guy does. There are a lot of options for him but to start him as the guy who laid out Kurt Angle isn’t too bad as it’s something that people are gonna remember and talk about.

Match 2: Alexa Bliss vs Bayley
Bayley hits Bliss with a right hand and then tees off on her in the corner. Bayley bounces her off the turnbuckle and is in control. On the outside, Bliss is able to hit Bayley with a right. Back in the ring, Bliss has a chinlock in keeping Bayley on the mat. Bliss hits a clothesline as they get to their feet and stays on top. Bliss hits Bayley with a slap and taunts her. Bayley is able to get her in the corner but Bliss hits with a big strike. Bayley tries to get on top and slams Bliss into the turnbuckle. Bliss fights back and plants Bayley with a DDT. Bliss gets the 1 2 3 on the cover.
Winner: Alexa Bliss
My Opinion:
This is a huge win for Bliss as she returns to the ring! She really seemed in control throughout and it seemed that Bayley was just too angry and fought with emotion which doesn’t work most of the time. She was so angry I think she got too far ahead of herself and Bliss capitalized on it. Although Bliss took the brunt of the hard moves she didn’t faze. Bayley needs to go regroup but for Bliss, she seems ready to get back on top in the ring and make a run for her 6th Women’s Championship.

In Ring Segment: Becky Lynch
Lynch says 9 years ago she worked in a bar not too far from here. Lynch tells the crowd we did it. Becky calls herself Becky Two Belts. She says for months Ronnie and Ricks daughter went horse saying they were too good for her. She says at Mania when all was said and done, this women who walked in with nothing left with everything. She tells that she knows she isn’t the fastest and strongest and most athletic women in this company but she said does have a good theme song as the crowd is saying. She says leaving home at 15 years old taught her to be a fighter and she says she will overcome and persist in the end. She asks Ronnie if she hears the crowd. She tells her when she is done sulking and wants to come back for more she’ll be here waiting to slap her head off again. She says for Charlotte she’ll probably get the tag titles to make her feel better. She says she knows she is a marked woman but she is the redhead in leather with two shiny titles ready to slap the heads off of them all. Out comes Lacy Evans.
Evans hits Lynch with the Women’s Right. Lynch then goes right after Evans and fight her on the stage. The two go back and forth with rights and lefts. Lynch drives her into the screen on the stage. She looks for the disarm-her but Evans gets out of it and runs away.
My Opinion:
I’m so happy for Lynch and so proud of what the women accomplished last night. The crowd lives Lynch and I’m so hard she is champ. I really get that Stone Cold vibe from her especially with how much the crowd loves her. Lynch had a little hiccup with Evans tonight but she prevailed. This was a big statement for Evans to make but she came up short. I do think though she had Lynch’s attention and that Lynch will come back for more at some point. If Evans wants to make a name for herself she better be ready for a fight when stepping to The Man.

Backstage Segment:
Charley asks Rollins why he accepted the high stakes challenge. He says this is what he loves and lives for. He says he is a little insulted that The New Day came here and says if they wanna show up her then they are gonna pay the consequences. He says Kofi can bring an A + performance but he better bring his A-Game because B + won’t get it done.

Match 3: Ricochet & Aleister Black vs Bobby Roode & Chad Gable
Gable and Black start off the match. Gavel gets around on Black with a waist lock. Gable then goes to the arm of Black. Gable tries a cover but Black kicks out. Black is able to come back and plays some mind games with Gable. Gable hits him in the throat and eventually gets him to the mat. Gable lands some cross faces and then tags Roode. Roode hammers on Black in the corner. Black fights back and tags Ricochet. Black takes out Gable and Ricochet is able to take out Roode on the outside with a moonsault. Back in the ring, Roode gets back in control with strikes. Gable comes in but Ricochet hits him in the face and sends him to the outside. Ricochet tries to fly but instead, Roode pulls down the rope and Ricochet crashes to the floor as Raw goes to break
As Raw returns, Gable controls Ricochet. Ricochet is bounced off the turnbuckles and Gable then tags Roode. Roode stays on Ricochet and hits him with a thunderous clothesline. Roode tried to end things but Ricochet stays in it. Gable gets the tag but Loses control. Ricochet hits him with a kick and then hits Roode. Gable is taken down and Black now gets the tag. Black hits a series of strikes on Roode. He takes out Roode and Gable with a moonsault. Black tries a cover but Roode kicks out. Black tries to fly but lands awful. Roode tries a cover but can’t get the 3. Black stays on him and gets to Ricochet. Ricochet tries a twisting duplex and hits. He tries a pin but it’s broken up. Ricochet continues to fight and tries to go up too but is stopped. Gable throws him off and Roode takes control planting Ricochet. He tries a cover but can’t get the three. Gable hits with a moonsault and tries a cover but Black breaks it up. Ricochet plants Gable and gets the 1 2 3 on the cover.

*** Roode hits Ricochet after the match and Black has to back him off.
Winners: Ricochet & Aleister Black
My Opinion:
Good for Black and Ricochet to keep picking up wins and keeping their momentum. These two seemed poised to win the tag titles at some point with how many wins they are getting. The crowd seems to love them and they are great together. I think they need to capitalize on these two sonner than later. They are two guys who can change the game so they better not be forgotten. They continue to make their name and I hope everyone is taking notice.

Backstage Segment:
Elias says his performance was ruined last night by John Cena. He says it is okay because the McMahons are gonna give him plenty of time to do it tonight. He says he doesn’t care who it is but if anyone interrupts him tonight there will be hell to pay.

Dean Ambrose vs Bobby Lashley w/ Lio Rush
Lashley tells Dean when he’s gone he will make sure to take care of his wife for him. Ambrose goes to the outside and hammers on Lashley. He grabs a chair and throws it at him. Ambrose throws Lashley into the barricade and then does the same to Rush. They fight up the stage and Ambrose throws him into the LED boards. He then hits a DDT on the stage. He clears the announce table but is distracted by Rush. Lashley hits a spear and hits Ambrose. Lashley then puts Ambrose through the announce table. Renee Young then comes to check on him. The crowd gives a Thank You Ambrose chant.
My Opinion:
If this is the end it’s to bad that’s how Ambrose goes out but it makes sense they would make him put someone over rather than him going out on top. For Ambrose, he has had one heck of a career here and I know he will find success anywhere he goes. He was always a solid guy in the ring and I wish he could’ve done more here. I hope someday we see him back but sometimes you gotta walk away. Best of luck to Ambrose if he truly is gonna be gone, he will be missed.

In Ring Segment: Sami Zayn
Zayn says hello to the crowd and says he has been gone a little while and in case anyone has forgotten he is Sami Zayn. He says his schedule is wide open and he could go for a match right now. He asks if there is anyone in the back who wants a match with him. Out comes Finn Balor.

Match 4: Finn Balor vs Sami Zayn: Intercontinental Championship Match
Balor kicks up with Zayn and backs him up to the ropes. Balor and Zayn lock up again and this time Zayn is able to counter to get Balor in the corner. Balor comes back and works the arm of Zayn. Zayn is able to counter and get to the arm of Balor dropping him to the mat. Zayn with the wrist of Balor now and keeps him on the mat. Balor counters for a moment and then the two go to a standoff. Zayn gets a waist lock on Balor but Balor counters and gets a waist lock of his own. Zayn fights back and sends Balor to the outside. Zayn tried to fly but has to stop himself as Balor moves. Zayn taunts Balor in the ring. Zayn hangs on to a side headlock and keeps Balor on the mat. Balor gets back in control with a huge dropkick. Balor then goes the shoulder of Zayn. Balor works an arm drag and controls the pressure on Zayn now working his wrist. Zayn fights back and backs him to the ropes which forces the break. Zayn hits a chop and then hammers on the back of Balor. Zayn chops Balor again and toys with him in the corner. Balor gets him on the mat and hits a basement dropkick. Balor hits a stomp and then hits him with a knife edge chop. Zayn blocks a lot and kicks him in the hand. Balor comes back with an overhead kick and both men are down as Raw goes to break.
As Raw returns, the two are on the outside for a moment. Back in the ring Zayn hits a Blue Thunder Bomb but can’t get the three on the cover. Balor comes back with a sling blade and then drives Zayn into the corner. Balor tried the Coupe de Graces but misses and Zayn tries a cover. Balor kicks out. Zayn hits an exploder suplex but then misses on the Helluva Kick. Balor is able to hit the Coupe de Grace and gets the 1 2 3.
*** Zayn said he really thought coming out here tonight would cure what ails him but all it did was reinforce that the crowd misses him. He says from the bottom of his heart he did not miss any of this or any one of them. He says WWE is a super toxic environment because of the audience and their ugliness. He says he lives a very meaningful and fulfilled life but the crowd life seems so meaningless that the only joy they get is out of being critics. He says it is the only thing that gives them any sort of sense of importance. He tells them they judge everyone but themselves. He says they don’t have the balls to look inside themselves. He says he has always done what is right and the right thing to do is to come out here every single week and hold the crowd accountable because no one else will. He tells them he’ll see them in hell.
Winner: Finn Balor:
Still Intercontinental Champion
My Opinion:
Glad to Zayn return tonight and wow what a match these two just had. I don’t know the direction Zayn is gonna go too but he needs something better. I think too many guys try to harp on the crowd and I think he needs something to stand out more. Hopefully, he keeps getting these opportunities and gets something going for his character. As for Balor, this was a huge defense and he looks like he is ready to be the fighting champ we know he is. Balor is amazing and I hope he gets another successful run with the IC title.

Backstage Segment:
Dana Brooke gives congratulations to Becky Lynch. She says from what we saw earlier there is a line of women looking to challenge Lynch. She says she isn’t in the front but she isn’t in the back. She says if there is an opportunity she will seize the moment and with that being said congratulations to Becky Lynch.

In Ring Segment: Elias
He tells how he was interrupted last night and says a year from now there will be a different story. He says Cena is no artist and he is riding the coattails of his popularity. Elias says in the spirit of Brooklyn and what happened he is gonna show everyone how easy it is to rap. He then cuts some verses on Cena and tells how the next person to interrupt him is a Deadman. The Undertaker’s music then hits!
Undertaker gets in the ring and Elias begins to exit but then stays in the ring. The two then have a stare down. Eli’s turns around but then tries to charge at Undertaker and is met with a boot. Taker then hits him with a chokeslam. Taker then hits a tombstone of Elias. He hits what would be a cover and the crowd chants to 3.
My Opinion:
Wow, that was awesome! It’s always cool to see Taker, he’s a legend and we missed him so much last night. I’m so glad we got to see him and for Elias, it gives him a great platform to work with. Hopefully, there will be a layoff from this because I think Elias will benefit monumentally from it. No matter what it is a memory and a reason why these Raw’s after Mania are so special because things like this can happen!

Match 5: Seth Rollins vs Kofi Kingston:
Winner take all for the Universal & WWE Championships
Rollins and Kingston lock up and Kingston is able to break it and work the wrist if Rollins. Rollins fights out and works a side headlock takedown. Rollins keeps him grounded on the mat before Kingston works back to his feet. Rollins hits. A shoulder tackle but Kingston springs back up and takes Rollins down. Both men miss on their finishers and have a stare off as Raw goes to break.
As Raw returns, Kingston works the arm of Rollins but Rollins fights out. The two trade shots before Rollins catches Kingston with a dropkick to the chest as Kingston tried to fly off the top rope. Kingston is hit with a step-up enziguri. Rollins tries a cover but Kingston kicks out. Kingston catches Rollins and tries a cover but can’t get the 3. Kingston hits a DDT and then tries another cover but still, Rollins kicks out. Kingston goes up top but Rollins meets him. Kingston dumbs Dollins to the outside. Sheamus and Cesaro hit the ring and take down Kingston. Rollins tried to help but he is beat down. Kingston comes in and helps out Rollins. The two then stand tall. Rollins says he doesn’t know why they would interrupt a match like that but then challenges them to a tag team match.
Winner: Kofi Kingston: Via DQ
My Opinion:
I expected this match to be interrupted but I thought it would’ve been by a return or debut. T was a let down that it was The Bar. I just think it needed to be bigger since this Raw is supposed to be so huge. Yes, it is cool to see Rollins and Kingston fight together but it could’ve gone down in a better way. These two though did have a great match up to that point and I personally would love to see it again.

Match 6: Seth Rollins & Kofi Kingston vs The Bar
Rollins locks up with Cesaro and fights him off to hit a sling led. Rollins tries to fly but is caught and driven into the apron. Kofi tried help but is caught and driven into the barricade as Raw goes to break.
As Raw returns, Cesaro tried to prevent Rollins from getting a tag. Rollins hits a backdrop but it allows Sheamus to get the tag. Sheamus and Cesaro work a double team after Cesaro gets tagged back in but Rollins kicks out of the cover. Sheamus tags in and toys with Rollins. Rollins is able to hit Sheamus with rights and then a series of chops. Rollins then is able to send Sheamus into the ring post. Kingston comes in and hits Sheamus with chops and then a dropkick. Kingston then hits a bomb drop and looks to end the match. Kingston misses on Trouble In Paradise but then hits on SOS. On the outside, Kingston is caught but then Rollins helps out with a suicide dive. Cesaro helps out by hanging up Kingston on the ropes. The Bar double team Kingston but Rollins comes in to break the count. Rollins takes out Sheamus on the outside. Cesaro tried for the swing in the ring but Kingston fights out. Kingston hits Trouble In Paradise and Rollins follows with The Stomp. Rollins gets the 1 2 3 for his team.
Winners: Seth Rollins & Kofi Kingston
My Opinion:
It was really awesome to see the two champs work together. They did very well as a team and had a great contest with The Bar. These two should be so proud and they showed tonight why they are two of the best. It was a cool way to go off the air with both men standing side by side. They worked so hard to be the champs so to stand there together as Raw goes off the air was perfect.

Final Thoughts:
I think this Raw could’ve been better and I think we’ve had better Raw’s after Mania before but I still enjoyed this a lot. It was awesome seeing Lynch out there as the champ champ and she took it to Evans when Evans tried to step to her. I loved seeing Sami Zayn back as he and Balor had a great match but I think they can do better with his character. I was so proud of Alexa Bliss coming back tonight and picking up a huge win and on that same note I think Black and Ricochet did so well tonight again adding another win for them as a team. Also, it was awesome seeing Taker out there! He is the man and i’m glad we got to see him sense we didn’t yesterday. Finally, the ending of the show could’ve been better with something more surprising but it still was awesome. Rollins and Kingston did very well against each other and I think they should face again at some point. They did very well as a team and it was awesome having Raw go off the air with both of them on top, they deserved it. Overall it was a good show and we’ll see what the next year leading up to WrestleMania 36 will bring!
Overall Rating: 6/10