Raw Review 05/06/2019

Tonight Roman Reigns vows to be on Monday Night Raw even though WWE Officials told him no, will the Big Dog show up?  Plus, what will be next in this new rivalry between AJ Styles and Seth Rollins, can Styles continue to get in his head or will Rollins show why this is Monday Night Rollins? The Usos humiliated The Revival last week but what will the team have in store this week for them? Also, Rey Mysterio picked up a huge victory over Samoa Joe last week but will Mysterio get another shot at the U.S. Championship as he desires? Finally, what can Becky Lynch do to slow do the quickly building momentum of Lacey Evans before their match at Money In The Bank?

---

Raw comes to us from the US Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio?

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

In Ring Segment: Mr. McMahon
McMahon welcomes everyone and says this Raw will be one for the ages and one no one will ever forget. He says why, well because the show is starting with him. Out comes Roman Reigns.
McMahon says he doesn’t know why Reigns is out here but if he is thinking about punching him again he has the place. He then reminds Reigns he is on SmackDown and asks who the hell he thinks he is on here. Reigns tells him to watch his tone and says he knows he is on SmackDown but reminds him he has been on Raw for the past 4 to 5 years. He then tells how McMahon had his spoiled children run the show. He tells McMahon he doesn’t take his orders anymore and instead takes them from the WWE Universe. Reigns tells McMahon if they keep making this muhc noise he will be back every week. McMahon tells him it would open the flood gates and it would be anarchy. Out comes Daniel Bryan.
McMahon asks Bryan what he is doing. Ryan says he has spent the last month in solitude and in meditation searching for answers. He says when he heard Reigns was showing up on Raw he thought he and McMahon could have an intellectual conversation between the two of them. Out comes Kofi Kingston.
Kofi says he has an issue with Bryan and tells him if he had a problem he could have filed a complaint with him because he is the WWE Champion. Bryan says he is undeserving and he shouldn’t have gotten a shot. He tells Kofi his win was a fluke and tells him he should have never gotten to where he is. Kofi says and yet here I am with the title. Bryan says not for long. McMahon then proposes to allow three members of SmackDown come to Raw and three members of Raw to SmackDown with a wild card rule. Kofi says he only came because he saw Reigns tweet and wanted in. Bryan says he came here for a rematch. Out comes Drew Mcintyre.
Mcintyre says if no one in the back has the set to do anything about this it’s up to him then. He says this is not SmackDown presents Raw. He tells Kofi and Bryan they are lucky he cares more about the egomaniac Roman. He tells Reigns he defies rules and had himself moved off of Raw to get away from him. He says he is gonna Claymore him back down to earth. Reigns says it didn’t work at Mania but you can try it again tonight. McMahon then proposes a WrestleMania rematch and then proposes another one but this one is for the WWE Championship. McMahon says he is brilliant but out comes AJ Styles as Raw goes to break.
As Raw returns, Bryan, Reigns, Mcintyre, and Kingston have gone to the back. Styles asks McMahon what he is doing. Styles tells how he gets to Raw and now there are SmackDown Live SuperStars on Raw. McMahon says it’s the wild card rule. Styles says it seems convenient and tells how he spent years on SmackDown making it his house. He tells how he finally gets to Raw and gets a title shot and now Reigns is here. Styles says if that’s how it’s going to work maybe he’ll go to SmackDown. McMahon says it is not about friends and tells that SuperStars could be invited. Out comes Seth Rollins.
Rollins tells Styles he showed his true colors by sucker punching him. Rollins says Styles talks about SmackDown as the place he built yet it was fine before he got there and is fine since he left. Rollins tells Styles this is his show. Styles says he knows exactly where he is and tells Rollins he knows what he did last week. Styles says he tried to be a good sport but if he is gonna treat him like he isn’t a man then he is gonna show him he is a man who can kick his ass. Styles says at MITB nothing is gonna change except for the fact that he will be standing as the Universal Champion. McMahon says it’s obvious they want to compete. McMahon says Styles and Rollins are gonna team up together tonight. He says he is going to go get that team and they’re going to come out here right now.
My Opinion:
This was a lot of talking to open the show which I don’t think is the best. We have the past half hour and no action which isn’t what people want to see. This whole segment took a lot of twists and turns and I think it could be confusing for viewers. Also, it felt like with all these SmackDown people out there it was saying that the Raw guys aren’t good enough to draw ratings. It’s like they’re ready to go back to the old formats of the “SuperShows” and I just don’t think it’ll work. Brands should stay spilled and instead gives guys a chance and actually build up talent.

Match 1: AJ Styles vs Seth Rollins vs Bobby Lashley & Baron Corbin
Rollins and Corbin lock up and Corbin is able to land a shoulder tackle after the release. Rollins fights back and is able to tag Styles. Corbin gets away and tags Lashley. Styles gets around on him and works a headlock. Lashley comes back and stops him in his tracks with a hip check. Styles fights back and gets another headlock. Rollins tags in as Styles lands a kick. Styles and Rollins then land a double team on Lashley and he is sent to the outside. They then take out Corbin together. Rollins then takes out Lashley on the outside and Styles takes out Corbin as raw goes to break.
As Raw returns, Rollins hits Lashley with a right. Lashley fights back and throws Styles into the corner. Lashley takes down Rollins and goes for the cover but he kicks out. Lashley then dumps Rollins out of the ring and Corbin hammers on him. Corbin gets the tag and goes back to the outside to Rollins. Corbin drives him into the barricade and then brings him back in the ring. Corbin hits Rollins and then drives an elbow into him. Corbin then locks in a modifies half nelson and wears him down. Rollins fights him off and is able to avoid him for a second. Corbin slides out and back in to lay out Rollins. Corbin places Rollins on the top turnbuckle and hits him with a right. Rollins hits a headbutt and creates separation allowing him to hit a blockbuster. Styles and Lashley then get the tags. Styles takes down Lashley with a series of strikes and then lands a kick. Lashley comes back and drives him into the corner. On the apron, Lashley hits styles with a spear and they both crash to the floor. Lashley goes for the cover but Styles kicks out. Styles hits a dropkick and then a pay lay kick. Styles is able to catch Corbin with a step-up enziguri but Lashley takes care of Rollins so Styles can’t get the tag. Styles is taken out as Raw goes to break.
As Raw returns, Lashley has ahold of Styles. Style fights out but Lashley quickly hits him with a back body drop. Lashley tries a cover but Styles kicks out. Corbin gets the tag and he wraps Styles up in the ropes and hits him with a strike. Styles tries to fly off the ropes but he is met with a right hand. Corbin goes for the cover but Styles kicks out again. Styles tries to fight back and is able to land on his feet and stumble to Rollins. Rollins flies over the ropes to take out Corbin. He then takes out Lashley after taking care of Corbin. Rollins then flies to the outside and drives Corbin and Lashley into the barricade. Rollins takes down Corbin and goes for the cover but Corbin kicks out. Styles helps out and takes out Lashley. Corbin tries to steal a pin but Rollins kicks out. Styles hits an enziguri and then a superkick on Corbin. Rollins hits another kick and tries a stomp but Corbin prevents. Styles though hits a phenomenal forearm on Rollins and walks out. Corbin then hits End of Days on Rollins. Corbin goes for the cover and gets the 1 2 3.
Winners: Bobby Lashley & Baron Corbin
My Opinion:
This was a pretty good match with these two teams. I like the mind games with Styles and Rollins here. It helps continue to put that rift between the two and help paint a clearer picture of good and bad for MITB. For Corbin it’s good he got the win for his team. It makes him look stronger and Corbin needs that heading into the MITB match.

Backstage Segment:
The Miz sits outside Shane McMahon’s dressing room waiting for his arrival.

In Ring Segment: Sami Zayn
Zayn asks the crowd what they got to complain about tonight. He tells how Reigns came here and how they’re gonna get a WWE Championship match tonight and asks what they got. Zayn says he thought it was great and the crowd seemed like they did too but the problem is when the excitement wears off they are still them. He says they are still stuck with that miserable person they see in the mirror. He tells that fixing yourself is hard and it’s not easy. He then calls the crowd cowards. Zayn is then interrupted by Braun Strowman.
Strowman gets in the ring and Zayn quickly gets out. Zayn then retreats through the crowd as Strowman goes to the floor. Strowman follows him into the crowd and the chase is on. Zayn runs back to ringside and up the ramp to the back with Strowman right behind. Zayn continues to run through the backstage area as Strowman is near. Zayn tries to escape but Strowman stands tall. Zayn tries to escape under a garage door but Strowman grabs him. He then places him in a dumpster and asks who’s the coward now. A garbage truck then comes and lifts he dumpster dumping it into the back.
My Opinion:
Zayn didn’t get to say as much this week but his point was still there. I guess tonight was about Strowman looking like he had the WWE Universe’s back but we will see if it leads to anything more. It’s tough to tell at this point what this will all mean.

Match 2: Lucha House Party vs Jobbers
Kalisto lands a huge kick to start and Metalik comes in to help. Dorado tags in and lands a few shots of his own. Kalisto tags back in and he and Dorado work for a double team. Metalik lands a dropkick and Kalisto comes back in. Kalisto lands a Selina del Sol. Metlik lands an elbow andDorado finishes it off to get the win for Lucha House Party.
Winners: Lucha House Party
My Opinion:
Quick match with not much meaning but Lucha House Party is still here. Maybe someday these guys will get a chance and not just be good superstars for the kid’s sakes. These guys all are extremely talented they just need that chance to shine.

Backstage Segment:
Natalya and Naomi receive letters from Lacey Evans requesting their presence at ringside. Natalya says she is starting to get on her nerves. Naomi says if she tries anything she is gonna get the right and left. Dana comes in and asks if they got the invite. The three then continue to put down Evans.

Backstage Segment:
Miz is still sitting outside waiting for Shane McMahon.

Match 3: Ricochet vs Rober Roode (If Roode wins he is in MITB, Ricochet is out)
Roode backs Ricochet into the corner and stomps away on him. Roode drives his boot into Ricochet and then lands a big chop. Ricochet is able to fight back and knock down Roode. He hits a dropkick and tries to regroup. Roode is able to fight back and knock Ricochet on the floor. Roode continues to be on the offensive. Roode uses the ring apron to wrap up Ricochet and hammer on him. Roode tries a cover but Ricochet kicks out. Roode the works a headlock and keeps Ricochet grounded on the floor. Roode is able to land a beautiful kick and then take down Ricochet. Roode goes to a chin lock but Ricochet works a to a verticle base and fights out. Ricochet creates separation but then gets caught. He was thrown into the corner but Ricochet lands on the ropes and flies to take down Roode. Roode lands a big-time spine buster but Ricochet kicks out. Ricochet continues to fight back with strikes and finally is able to knock down Roode. Ricochet lands the 630 and gets the 1 2 3.
Winner: Ricochet: Remains in MITB
My Opinion:
This was a good victory for Ricochet tonight and I’m glad he kept his spot. This helps him avenge that loss to Roode and it makes it feel like Ricochet can get it done when the big odds are on the line. This made Ricochet look good even though Roode dominated a lot this. Ricochet though seems to have good momentum heading into the MITB PPV the fans are definitely behind him.

***Rey Mysterio will face Samoa Joe for the U.S. Title at MITB

Backstage Segment:
Mysterio is talking to his son about last week and how he loved having that moment. Slater then comes up and greets Mysterio and his son. Mysterio tells his son he will catch him later and they go sperate ways. Samoa Joe then comes out of nowhere and follows behind Dominic.

Backstage Segment:
Joe tells Dominic he is glad he gets to finally meet him in person. He tells Dominic how he noticed how he couldn’t wait to hold up his father last week and embarrass him. He asks if he did this because he embarrassed his father at Mania. He tells Dominic to tell Mysterio he looks forward to defending the title against him at MITB.

Match 4: Lacey Evans vs Jobber
Evans backs her opponent into the corner and shakes her. She then hits double boots to her and knocks her down with a Women’s Right. Evans gets the 1 2 3.
*** After the match Evans thanks Bliss, Natalya, Naomi, and Brooke for coming out here. She says they all deserve a front row seat to see what a legitimate lady is capable of. She then proclaims she is gonna win the title and tells the four women if they come after her they will quickly lose their chance because they will come up short just as The Man will. Lynch then comes out and she and Evans fight in the ring and then on the outside. Lynch brings her back in and tries to lock in the Dis-Arm-Her but Evans is able to escape the ring.
My Opinion:
Evans did have a quick victory here and it was impressive. Evans has the chance to be a star in WWE but it will depend greatly how this match with Lynch goes. I think Lynch is doing great in helping make this feel very important and putting Evans over as a legitimate contender.

Backstage Segment:
Bryan says Kofi as champion is a threat to our existent. He says he has no choice but to eliminate him as a role model. He says he is here to correct course for human history and once again become what he was born to be, the planet’s champion.

Backstage Segment:
The Usos leave the men’s locker room looking like they are up to something.

Match 5: The Viking Raider’s vs Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins
Ryder and Hawkins attack the Viking Raiders to start the match. As the match officially begins they continue to work the pace. Hawkins and Ryder exchange tags and keep Ivar isolated. Ivar fights back and takes down Hawkins. Erik gets the tag and the Viking Raider’s work a double team. Erik tries a cover but Hawkins kicks out. Ryder gets the tag and knocks down Ivar. he then lands knees to Erik. Hawkins helps out taking out Ivar but Erik takes him down. Ryder goes after him and tries to put him away but it is blocked. Erik hits double knees and tags Ivar. they hit the Viking Experience and Ivar gets the 1 2 3 on the cover.
Winners: The Viking Raider’s
My Opinion:
Huge victory for the Viking Raiders. I think there is no doubt these guys are poised t be champions and this helps plants the seeds. They are no doubt better than Hawkins and Ryder and I feel like they really need to take the titles. They are a destructive team and something to market around. These guys got it and I can’t wait to see what they can do!

Backstage Segment:
Rollins tells styles it doesn’t matter if what he did was an accident or on purpose because he made his point clear by walking away again. He says next time Styles walks away it will be with two black eyes and a broken face.

Match 6: Roman Reigns vs Drew Mcintyre
Mcintyre quickly takes down Reigns and then stays on him in the corner. Mcintyre hits him with chops but Reigns fights back. Reigns is able to get hi in the corner and hammer away with rights. Reigns then hits a clothesline. Mcintyre out powers Reigns and throws him. Mcintyre then gets on top of him and hammers away. Mcintyre lands a kick and brings Reigns to a verticle base. Reigns comes back with big rights but Mcintyre lays him out and goes for the cover. Reigns kicks out. Mcintyre then shows his power but deadlifting Reigns and dropping him. Mcintyre goes for the cover again but Reigns stays in it. Mcintyre then works the arm of Reigns. Reigns makes it to his feet and fights out momentarily. Mcintyre hits a forearm but Reigns comes back with a clothesline. Mcintyre is able to avoid Reigns and throws him again. Mcintyre stomps on Reigns after getting him back into the ring. Mcintyre tries a suplex but Reigns counters and hits one of his own. Reigns is able to knock Mcintyre to the floor and then tries to hit a drive-by but he is met with a boot. Mcintyre looks to slam Reigns and he does right into the ring apron as Raw goes to break.
As Raw returns, Reigns looks for the Superman Punch but Mcintyre reverse and pants him. He tries a jackknife cover but Reigns kicks out. Mcintyre then looks for the Claymore but Reigns side steps and hits him with a right. The two then trade strikes. Mcintyre hits him with the Glasgow kiss and goes for the cover but Reigns kicks out. Reigns plants Mcintyre with a DDT and tries a cover of his own but Mcintyre stays alive. Reigns goes back to the outside and tries to fly off the steps but he runs into a kick and is driven into the steps. Mcintyre brings him in the ring and once again plants him. Mcintyre goes for the cover but Reigns kicks out again. Mcintyre goes to the top and flies but he is hit with the Superman Punch in mid-air. Reigns covers him but just barely Mcintyre kicks out. Reigns then looks for the spear but is hit with a headbutt. Reigns and Mcintyre exchange a few strikes before Reigns hits a spear. Reigns looks for the cover Shane McMahon and Elias attack him ending the match. Miz then comes out and chases Shane out of the ring. Back in the ring, Mcintyre hits Reigns with a Claymore.
Winner: Roman Reigns: Via DQ
My Opinion:
I thought this was an awesome match between these two. First, Mcintyre looked great, it took Reigns everything to et his moves in but he made them count. These two really hammered on each other and I loved the intensity. I wish the ending could have been clean but I think it does Mcintyre and Reigns well for it to not have ended decisively. They both walk away looking good and Reigns has more to fight for now which helps when he isn’t in the title picture right now.

Backstage Segment:
Shane continues to try to run and he hides as Miz runs by. Charly asks Shane what he is gonna do when he has nowhere to run but Shane runs away and doesn’t answer. Shane tries to get in his limo but Miz takes it to him with a chair. Shane fights back but Miz stays on him. Shane goes low and is able to get in his limo and get away.

The Club vs The Revival
Before the match, the Usos come out and tell how they put ucey hot (Icy Hot) in The Revival’s gear. Dash and Dawson then start feeling it and scratch all around the ring. They then tell them to come to get water. They then get out of the ring and continue to scratch. They then pour water down their tights. The Usos then inform them pouring it makes it worse and they were supposed to drink it.
My Opinion:
This was very funny to me. Of course, I wish The Revival was used right and same for The Usos but this was entertaining. I’ll give it to The Revival for making the most of this. It’s not easy to know you’re getting screwed over and still keep a smile on your face. I guess if they are gonna give you a segment on the show you just have to do what you can and make it the best you can. No doubt this will be one of the more memorable moments of the night so that’s a plus.

Backstage Segment:
Kofi says Daniel Bryan doesn’t think he is a champion but he’s not the first or the last person to think that. He says a lot of people thought him as champion was impossible but he had to show it was possible. Kofi says he is gonna change the course of history and retain the title and send Daniel Brayn back from where he came from. He proclaims he will show why he is the WWE Champion.

In Ring Segment: No Way Jose
Jose makes his entrance but then out comes Lars Sullivan from SmackDown. Sullivan attacks the conga line on the outside and Jose tries to help but Sullivan launches him over the barricade. Sullivan is able to lay out everyone. Jose comes back in the ring and hits him with rights but quickly Jose is taken out.
My Opinion:
This seems like it was a way to kill time but once again it puts Sullivan over as a dominant force. I’m very curious to see how long these attacks last for before he actually has a match. Sullivan can be great but I hope they have a good booking for him once he is ready to head into a rivalry.

Backstage Segment:
McMahon is on the phone and says Elias and Sahne didn’t count tonight. He tells that it is strictly three from Raw and three SmackDown that’s it. Lars Sullivan then comes in and he tells he is gonna make it four individuals who can come. He tells Lars good talk after he stares him down.

Match 7: Daniel Bryan vs Kofi Kingston (c):
WWE Championship Match
Kingston backs Bryan into the corner but it is reversed and Bryan lands a series of kicks. He lands a series of dropkicks before Kingston explodes out fo the corner. Kingston sends him to the outside and flies over the ropes to take out Bryan as Raw goes to break.
As Raw returns, Brayn hits Kingston with a chop. Bryan works his arm for a moment. The two run the ropes before Kingston hits him with an elbow. Kingston lands a splash and goes for the cover but Bryan kicks out. Kingston gets him in the corner and hits him with chops. Kingston is sent into the corner and Bryan tries to flip him but Kingston lands on his feet. Brayn though is able to send him over the ropes and to the floor. Bryan meets him out there and throws him into the ring post twice. Back in the ring, Bryan hits him with a kick to the arm. Kingston comes back with a knee and buys time. Bryan tries a double under hook and is able to turn it into an armbar. Kingston tries to block but Bryan continues to keep the pressure on. Both men collide and are down as Raw goes to break.
As Raw returns, Kingston hits Bryan with big right hands before landing a big kick. Bryan though sends Kingston to the outside and he hits hard. Bryan lifts him and then throws him into the barricade. Bryan tries to throw him into the steps but Kingston lands on his feet and flies off the apron to take out Bryan on the floor. Kingston flies off the top rope and hits a lateral press. Kingston goes for the cover but Kingston kicks out. Kingston hits Bryan with a headbutt and then tries to send him off the ropes but Bryan counters and turns it into the lebell lock. Kingston is able to keep to the ropes and break the hold. Bryan lands a series of kicks to the arm of Kingston. Kingston fights back with huge strikes. He jumps at Bryan in the corner but he moves. Kingston is able to avoid Bryan and come off the ropes to take him down. Kingston hits a boom drop but can’t capitalize. Bryan hits a dropkick and goes for the cover but Kingston kicks out. Bryan tries to wrestle Kingston down but Kingston fights it off and hits Trouble in Paradise. Kingston gets the 1 2 3 on the cover.
Winner: Kofi Kingston: Still WWE Champion
My Opinion:
Big win tonight to retain the title. Kingston showed tonight why he is champion and exactly what he is capable of in the ring. This was an awesome match and besides for commercial breaks, this was awesome. This was a heck of a main event and the exciting part about the wild card rule. Kingston silenced his doubters tonight and hopefully, Owens took notes because Kingston is ready to go!

Final Thoughts:
I wasn’t the biggest fan of the opening to Raw tonight. I thought it was too long and it really did take away from the Raw SuperStars basically saying they couldn’t draw ratings. I hope they fix what they did and don’t make this wild card thing anything less than special. It could be exciting but it can’t be overdone. As for the rest of the show, I did enjoy the tag match with Styles and Rollins. This helped their story and create more tension which is needed for a big matchup like they’re about to have. As for the women, I think more could’ve been done for Lynch and Evans, I feel like they kind of got pushed to the back tonight but hopefully, they get more time on the go home next week. Also, I was very impressed with Viking Raiders tonight. They did really well and I’m glad they put themselves in the title conversation with that win. I loved the match with Reigns and Mcintyre as well. This was a hard fought contest and I think both men benefited from the contest. Finally, the WWE Championship rematch was awesome. I loved it so much and I’m so proud of Kofi for defending and showing exactly why he is champion. This was a great way to end Raw Overall this was a good Raw but they are definitely gonna have some complaints about mixing talent so let’s see what they do with it and if they make it mean something I think it’ll do a lot of good for the company. Like the main event, tonight was awesome and I’m glad got to host it. I’m excited for SmackDown to see what they do next!
Overall Rating: 6/10