Raw Review 04/10/2017

Tonight we see the Superstar Shakeup. What Raw and Smackdown superstars will be coming and going? Plus Finn Balor returned last week. What will be next for The Demon King? The Beast Brock Lesnar is the new Universal Champion but who will be the first man to step up and challenge him? The Hardy’s are back but is their title reign in jeopardy with Sheamus and Cesaro now the number 1 contenders? Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe may have gotten the upper hand of Chris Jericho, but will he be able to return to get his revenge the duo? Other questions till stand like who will challenge Bayley for the Raw Women’s Championship and how will Neville react to Austin aries being the new number one contender for his Cruiserweight Championship? All this and more on Monday Night Raw!

Raw is live tonight from the Nassau Coliseum in New York

Raw kicks off with us being welcomed to the show by Michael Cole, Corey Graves & Byron Saxton.

In Ring Segment:
Raw starts off with The Miz and Maryse coming out dressed as John Cena and Nikki Bella. The Miz informs us that the first rule of Cena’s house rules is that the crowd isn’t allowed to chant “Cena sucks.” The Miz pokes fun at Cena’s proposal to Bella at WrestleMania, and says Hollywood doesn’t want them. Dean Ambrose’s music hits and he interrupts next. Ambrose talks to Miz as if he’s really Cena, until The Miz takes his hat off and Maryse takes her wig off. When Ambrose clues in, he decides to immediately hit The Miz with the Dirty Deeds and then celebrates with the crowd before heading backstage.
My Opinion:
I think it’s great to have these three on Raw. Ambrose is a big time player so if any big star leaves Raw he is a great replacement. Miz and Maryse have been on fire as of late and I think Monday Night’s fit them well especially with them loving to be seen in the spotlight. Both additions help Raw in big ways but it makes you wonder what top guy will be leaving Raw as these are two huge pick up’s for Raw.

Backstage Segment:
Kurt Angle is approached by Sami Zayn. He asks Kurt if he is staying here on Raw or not. He says people said he belonged on SmackDown Live but things are different now with him there. Kurt says he has been a huge asset but there is a lot of interest from SmackDown. Maryse interrupts and asks what kind of show is this. Sami interrupts and Miz says grown ups are talking. Sami fires back and Kurt interjects. He says if The Miz wants respect he will have to earn it against Sami tonight.

Match 1: The New Day (Big E & Xavier Woods) vs The Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder)
*** Before the match Xavier and Big E address Kofi’s abscents. Big E says The Revival wants to be top guys but now they are top guys for their boots in between their buns. Xavier tells them to get down there. Out come The Revival.
Xavier goes after Wilder right away. He lands a nice forearm and backs him into the corner. Big E gets the tag and they double team Wilder. Woods comes back in and Big E slams him on Wilder. Woods gets his arm locked but Wilder takes control with a yank of Woods hair. Dawson gets the tag as Raw goes to commercial.
Dawson has Woods grounded but Woods fights back. Woods is pulled in by Dawson and slammed to the mat. Dawson kicks Woods and tags in Wilder. Woods lands a punch to Wilder and tries to flip him but not before Dawson gets the tag. Dawson tries to slam Woods but Woods lands a big forearm. He gets the tag to Big E and Wilder also gets the tag. Big E comes in and hits three belly to bellies. He lands a big splash and Dawson tries to get involved. He is sent to the floor but Wilder tries to take advantage and roll up Big E. Big E kicks out but Dawson gets the tag. Big E fights them off and Woods gets the tag. Woods flies across the ring and hits an elbow on Dawson. Dawson is able to kick out on the pin. Wilder gets the tag but Woods sends him out of the ring. He hits Dawson with an elbow and Big E tries to get involved and hit the Midnight Hour but it is reversed. The Revival take care of him and hit the Shatter Machine on Woods. They are able to pick up the win.
Winners: The Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder)
My Opinion:
Another impressive match for The Revival. I think they bring new life to the Raw tag team division. I like that they weren’t overpowered tonight but they still took quick care of The New Day. with a little bit of faith The Revival can be the team to run Raw. They are ruthless but they are entertaining. With two big wins under their belt you have to expect them to start raising eyes of The WWE Universe and eventually get in the title hunt.

Backstage Segment:
Neville is asked his thoughts on facing Aries again. Neville says he has proven that Aries is not on hsi level. He is interrupted by TJ Perkins and he tells him to be careful what he says because someday someone will make him eat his words. Neville says that TJ will never get a chance again and he won’t be the one to do it. He tells TJ to take a good look at himself because his career is a joke. He claims TJ is overlooked and his opportunities have been taken away. Neville claims to be the only person to have respect for neville. Aries jumps in and questions Neville’s statements. Aries says that he can see Neville is lying. Neville tells TJ to believe what he wants but there is only one man who can provide title opportunities. Aries asks if TJ is buying this and he Tj walks away.

In Ring Segment: Curt Hawkins
Hawkins announces he is back on Raw. He says this is the biggest thing since The Louisiana Purchases. He asks where his welcoming committee is. Out comes Big Show. Big Show comes in and knocks out Hawkins.
My Opinion:
I think everyone can agree that the segment was pointless and Hawkins will have no role on Raw, or at least nothing significant just like on SmackDown Live.

Match 2: Austin Aries vs TJ Perkins
The two lock up and Tj gets the upper hand. Aries quickly reverse and slam Tj. Tj gets Aries in an armlock but aries backs him off of the ropes and takes him to the ground Tj gets back in control and brings Aries to the ground before both get back to a vertical base. Aries twists Tj’s arm but Tj reverses and gets him in an armlock. Aries runs the ropes and is able to flip Tj. He lands a big dropkick and mocks Tj. Tj picks up Aries but aries fights out. He tries to send Aries to the floor but he lands on the apron and is able to take out Tj. he goes to the top and lands a flying elbow. Tj kicks out of the pin attempt. Tj fights back with a forearm. Tj sends Aries to the floor but Aries quickly gets back intends Tj to the apron. Aries lands a neckbreaker from the second rope and Tj goes to the floor. Aries goes to the top and flies to take out Tj on the outside. Neville gets up from the commentary table and stares at aries. Aries gets back in the ring but is rolled up by Tj. Tj gets the 1 2 3.
*** Tj comes from behind after the match and attacks Aries. He lands the Detination Kick to take him out.
Winner: TJ Perkins
My Opinion:
To me the match was not very exciting. It just felt very lazy. The best part was Tj turning at the end. The division hurts for heels so it’s nice to see Tj turning on Aries like that. More Neville’s in the division would be great and Tj is perfect for that. He should be bitter for not getting a lot of title shots since the start on the division. He was the first ever champion but that seems like an afterthought.

In Ring Segment: Seth Rollins
Rollins says it’s good to be out here. He says he didn’t know if he would have the opportunity to do this again. He states that he put everything into WrestleMania and couldn’t afford to think about after Mania. He says that after Mania he was physically messed up but mentally he was at peace. He tells that he left it all in the ring and we did it, we slayed The King of Kings. Rollins thanks The WWE Universe for giving him a second chance and having his back. He says he is just getting started here on Monday Night Raw. He says he has scores to settle with guys like Samoa Joe and he wants to claim the WWE Universal Championship. He inform that because of what happened at WrestleMania he may not get those chances. Rollins jokes that he won’t be employee of the month. Rollins says that stephanie will have to come back to work and see him and it will remind her of her and her husband’s failures. Rollins says it easier to accept things and head to SmackDown Live. Rollins says he took the easy way out once before but he won’t do it again. He says if they want to ship him to Tuesday Night’s they better have an army because he is not leaving Raw without a fight. Out comes Kurt Angle.
Kurt states that it’s true Stephanie wants him gone. Kurt states that if this was two weeks ago he would be gone. Kurt says that he thought it was impressive that he won a gold medal with a broken neck but Seth was a one legged man who won an ass kicking contest. Kurt informs that he wants to put on the best show he can and that includes Seth freaking Rollins. He states that as long as he is Raw GM Rollins will stay here on Raw. Samoa Joe comes from behind and attacks Rollins. Kurt tries to separate them but Rollins goes after Joe and gets the upper hand. He super kicks joe and sends him packing.
My Opinion:
I love that Seth is staying. He is great for Raw and they needed his star power. Plus will Ambrose on here things could get interesting. Rollins has a lot of guys on Raw that we want him to face so I think it’s good that he is staying. However as a fan of Rollins it may be better if he goes to SmackDown because there he can really be the top guy and get the main event matches he deserves.

Backstage Segment:
Owens is informed that Rollins is here to stay on Raw. He is asked how he thinks the shakeup will affect him. Owens states that the cream always rises. He says to ask Jericho how the superstar shakeup is affecting him. Owens informs that Jericho is not here because of the attack last week. Owens say that he is the United States Champion and the number one Champion on Raw. He is then asked about Ambrose. Owens says as long as he remembers his place because if he doesn’t he will beat the hell out of him and will show him that he is the premier champion on Raw because this is The Kevin Owens Show.

Match 3: Charlotte vs Nia Jax
The two lock up but Nia overpowers Charlotte quickly. Charlotte gets a waist lock but Nia throws her off. Charlotte lands big kicks but Nia stops her in her tracks. Charlotte tries for a neckbreaker but Nia stays on her feet. She tries the chops but Nia is unfazed and takes her to the mat. She lands a devastating elbow but Charlotte kicks out of the pin attempt. Nia gets a modified Cobra Clutch locked in. Charlotte tries to fight out and is able to jack the jaw of Nia to create space. Nia tosses Charlotte towards the corner. Nia lifts Charlotte but Charlotte fights off and lands big chops. Nia goes right back on the offensive. Nia holds on the top rope to prevent Charlotte from taking her down. Charlotte goes to the back of Nia’s knee and is able to hit Natural Selection. Nia kicks out quickly on the pin. Charlotte is able to fight off Nia. She sends her into the post and hits a moonsault that takes down Nia. Nia and Charlotte get back in the ring. Charlotte tries for the Figure Four but Nia powers out and sends Charlotte into the turnbuckle. Nia lands a big splash in the corner and hits a Samoan Drop that gets her the win.
Winner: Nia Jax
My Opinion:
I don’t hate on Nia because I think she is a valuable asset to the division but sometimes the matches are to much of trying to slay a giant mentality. It’s not really wrestling and instead it is just moves and then more moves and nothing that really picks up steam. I don’t think the match was bad and this is something we have to get use to with Nia. The one thing I like is that they are at least sticking with Nia being dominate and they haven’t tried to bury her so far. She needs things like this win to keep cementing herself. At the end of the day Charlotte wakes up tomorrow and is still Charlotte but if they let Nia slip people would turn on her quick.

Match 4: Jinder Mahal vs Finn Balor
Mahal backs balor up to the ropes and pushes his face. Balor is able to land nice kicks and hits a big dropkick. He gets Mahal in an armlock but Mahal is back up and backs him to the ropes and uses the top rope as a weapon. He drives his knee into Balor and goes for a couple quick covers but balor kicks out. Mahal gets a standing chinlock but Balor is able to fight out. Mahal gets it back locked and then lands a forearm. Balor nails him with a kick. He sends Mahal to the mat and hits the Kudagra and picks up the win.
*** Bray Wyatt comes on the screen and says in three weeks the world will see him take Randy Orton into his house of horrors. He tells Balor to watch himself because he will be watching him. Wyatt says Monday Night Raw I’m Here.
Winner: Finn Balor
My Opinion:
Not exactly who I want to see Balor face but still it wasn’t a bad match. I question what they will ever do with Mahal because they continue to make him look good in these matches. Balor I think can make anyone look great and he showed that tonight. It’s good to ease him back into things. I love the Wyatt promo at the end. You bring The Demon King and The New Face of Fear and you have a mental matchup that we can’t wait to see.
SuperStar Shakeup

Heading to Raw:
Bray Wyatt, Dean Ambrose, The Miz and Maryse, Rhyno and Heath Slater, Apollo Crews, Curt Hawkins, Kalisto

Match 5: The Miz vs Sami Zayn
Sami bends the arm of Miz. Miz fights out and kicks Sami in the gut. He sends him off the rope but Sami hits two deep arm drags. Sami sends Miz flying. Miz goes out of the ring and Sami looks to fly but Miz throws Maryse in the way to prevent that.
Miz has a side headlock on Sami but Sami fights out. Miz goes for a cover but Sami kicks out. Sami fights off Miz with forearms. Sami looks to fly but Miz gets out of the way. Miz mocks Daniel bryan with his signature kicks. He missed on the last one and Sami takes advantage and hits the Blue Thunder Bomb. He goes for the cover but Miz kicks out at two and a half. Miz tries to use Maryse to get the upper hand but Sami is able to roll up Miz for the win.
Winner: Sami Zayn
My Opinion:
Sami vs Miz wasn’t bad but obviously something that would take getting use to. They didn’t have a bad match but once again I feel like they are dogging Sami. He always seems to be tossed around I don’t think he deserves that. Maybe if he goes to SmackDown he will get better matches and be allowed to use that creative style he posses.

Roman Reigns:
Cole asks Roman if he feels any responsibility for this possibly being the end of The Undertaker’s career. Roma says he feels a lot of things and he couldn’t prepare for ending his career. He says he is The Big Dog and this is his yard now. Braun strowman comes out of nowhere and attacks Roman. Braun throws him against the wall and then on the floor. He threatens the ref’s who try to separate them. Roman is bounced off the steel door repeatedly. They try to contain Braun but can’t. He slams Roman on a crate stares im down. Braun smashes Roman with a crate and walks away. Roman is put on a stretcher but Braun comes back and rolls him off a dock. They load Roman into the ambulance and Braun comes in and lands a few more punches. He gets out and flips the ambulance.

Backstage Segment:
In the back they load Roman into another ambulance . This time they are able to get him out of the arena.

Match 6: The Club (Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson) & Primo & Epico vs Sheamus & Cesaro & The Hardy Boyz
*** Before the match begins we see Elias Samson arrive
Matt starts off the match Primo. He takes him down and tags Jeff. Jeff lands a dropkick. Primo fights out and is able to get away Cesaro and Anderson get the tags. Cesaro lands a few nice moves and Sheamus gets the tag. Sheamus lands a few of his own and Cesaro comes back in. He lands a lateral press but it isn’t enough to put Anderson away.
Gallows takes it to Cesaro as Raw returns. Cesaro is able to fight out but lands in the wrong corner. Anderson gets the tag but not before cesaro lands big rights to Gallows. Anderson is fought off. Epico gets the tag and so does Sheamus. Sheamus lands a back body drop and Matt gets the tag. Matt hammers on him and lands a running bulldog. Primo is met with the side effect. Gallows comes in but is taken out by Jeff. Sheamus and Cesaro send The Club packing. Jeff hits poetry in motion over the top rope. Matt hits the twist of fate and Jeff gets the tag. He hits the Swanton Bomb and picks up the win.
Winners: Sheamus & Cesaro & The Hardy Boyz
My Opinion:
A good match between the teams. I think this could have been better if The Revival would have replaced Primo and Epico. All in all it’s awesome to see The Hardy’s I still get pumped hearing their music and seeing them in the ring. Hopefully they keep those titles for a long time because I love seeing them every week.

Backstage Segment:
Emma approaches Dana and says you use to be my protege and if not for me you wouldn’t have been on Raw. She claims that she has returned to pick up the pieces. Dana says that was last year and now the women’s division has gotten better including her. Dana says that she is learning how to stand on her own two feet and she is not going with anyone else anymore.

In Ring Segment:
Sasha announces that she has unfinished business and asks everyone to welcome Bayley. Bayley says she needs to thank the crowd. She shares the story of how everyone stood by her side and she couldn’t have done it without them. Sasha says she wants to congratulate Bayley on her moment but the moment is over. Out comes Alexa Bliss.
Alexa says that the only person here who deserves recognition is her. Alexa says she put an end to this weird side show and she will take over the Raw Women’s division. Out comes Mickie James.
Mickie says someone else has arrived on Raw. She announces she is back on Raw. She tells Alexa that her nightmare has just begun. Nia comes from behind and takes out Mickie. Alexa pushes Sasha into Nia. Nia then goes after Bayley and slams her to the mat.
My Opinion:
Things just picked up for sure. Alexa is awesome. She can deliver some great promos that some of these girls on Raw can’t. Mickie will also provide that spark and maybe she can have one of her classic matches with a great wrestler such as charlotte. Either way things are looking up for Raw but I have a feeling Charlotte could be on the move to SmackDown as someone will have to fill the shoes of Alexa and Mickie.

Match 7: Kevin Owens vs Dean Ambrose
Owens takes it to Ambrose right away. He gets him in the corner and pounds on him. Ambrose fights back and lands big shots to Owens. Owens goes to the outside and Ambrose meets him throwing him into the barricade. Ambrose throws a big punch. Ambrose flies laying out Owens as Raw goes to break.
Owens is back on top. Ambrose lands a running clothesline and hammers on Owens. Owens gets out of the way of a running Ambrose and he goes into the post. Owens tries for a pin but Ambrose kicks out. Owens gets a chinlock and grounds Ambrose. Ambrose gets sent to the outside and Owens meets him and throws him into the post. Ambrose makes the 10 count. Owens goes right back on the attack. Owens picks up Ambrose and drops him on his side. Ambrose is able to get his knees up and get the upper hand. He sends Owens to the floor and Ambrose hits a suicide dive. Ambrose and Owens trade forearms. Ambrose follows up running Owens into the corner. Owens is able to counter and send him into the corner but ambrose hits a boot to the face. Ambrose hits a vicious clothesline. Ambrose goes to the top but Owens goes to the outside and he flies taking him out. Owens and Ambrose make it back in the ring. Ambrose goes to fly but misses. Ambrose looks for dirty deeds but Owens gets out. Ambrose continues to fight and hits Dirty Deeds for the win.
*** after the match out comes Jericho. Jericho enters the ring and hits a codebreaker.
Winner: Dean Ambrose
My Opinion:
This was an awesome match. Two of my favorites and they took it to each other. Ambros and Owens are two fighters and they could have a killer rivalry but it looks like Owens may go to the blue brand. I hope however it works out these two get good storylines because they can be top guys and they’ve proven it. I think that wasn’t the best way to end Raw but still they did a great job.

Final Thoughts:
I thought this was a very good Raw. We had a lot of shake ups. Bray coming to Raw could be a great thing. If Balor stays and these two can feud that could be the feud of the summer. I’m interested to see how these pay per views will play out with these shake ups. The divas division had a big boost but unfortunately it seems like we might be losing Charlotte. Someone will have to make up the loss of alexa. The switch may not be a bad thing as a fresh landscape is a good landscape. Braun really impressed me tonight. What he did is a great way to build a monster plus he is probably everyone’s favorite sense he did that to Roman. Ambrose and Owens closed out the show well but I don’t think that should have been the focal point of the night. That was my one problem was just that was to safe for me. Also the tag team division on Raw looks amazing but obviously there will have to be some change tomorrow. It’s tough right now to get excited because you don’t know who will stay on Raw. Hopefully tomorrow will give us a clear indication of the direction of the WWE.
Overall Rating: 7/10