It’s the RAW after WrestleMania, which would usually be the most anticipated show of the year, but once again there aren’t any fans live in attendance. Sure, we have the ThunderDome, but it just isn’t the same. Speaking of not the same, the ThunderDome has moved to the Yuengling Center on the campus of the University of South Florida. We also have a shake up in the announce team; Tom Phillips and Samoa Joe are out, while Corey Graves joins the team and Adnan Virk makes his WWE debut. Unfortunately we are stuck with Byron Saxton. Into the ThuderDome!
When WWE champion Bobby Lashley showed up early today, Riddle issued a challenge for a match. Lashley shoots him down; considering Riddle lesser competition. Riddle uses Lashley’s previous statement’s to get the match. Lashley tosses him to the floor, calling him a loser. He takes Riddle up on the challenge, though, to show that he is a winner.
Bobby Lashley w/MVP vs. Riddle – Non-Title Match
Lashley knocks Riddle of his scooter as he comes down the ramp. The champ slams him into the security barrier and then rams him into the ring post. Lashley gets Riddle in the ring and the ref starts the match.
Lashley slams Riddle into the turnbuckle repeatedly. The champ picks Riddle up, holding him for a delayed vertical suplex. Lashley goes to the floor and throws Riddle’s scooter away. Riddle gets in a few shots as Lashley enters the ring, but the champ just tosses him to the floor. He picks Riddle up, throwing him into the first row of the ThunderDome. We go to commercial.
After the break, Lashley has a chin lock applied and hits a flatliner. The champ toys with his opponent before taking him down with a shoulder block. Riddle tries to punch his way out of trouble, but one strike sends him back to the mat. Riddle with a go behind and strikes with the knee. He goes up top, but Lashley dodges the Floating Bro. The champ applies the Hurt Lock and Riddle taps out.
Winner via submission: Bobby Lashley
Kevin Patrick gets a word with new RAW Women’s Champion, Rhea Ripley. The champ says she in confident that she will successfully defend her title tonight.
Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin vs. The Viking Raiders
The Viking Raiders are back! Ivar sends Cedric into the turnbuckle and pummels him with a flurry of shots. Shelton hits Erik with a suplex. Alexander tags in to shoulder Erik into the corner. Erik lands a right hand and then counters a clothesline, but Alexander is able to beat him down with elbows. Erik takes a knee from Alexander and is then hit with the Olympic slam from Benjamin. Erik and Cedric hit each other simultaneously. Ivar gets the hot tag, slamming Benjamin and splashing him on the mat. Ivar with a seated senton out of the corner. Cedric makes a blind tag, but Ivar takes out both men with a clothesline. Erik tosses Ivar into Benjamin and then they hit Cedric Alexander with the Viking Experience. Erik covers to get the win.
Winners via pinfall: The Viking Raiders
Asuka tells Kevin Patrick that it is her turn to bring the fight and she is ready for Rhea.
Charlotte Flair is back in the ThunderDome! She is not happy about missing WrestleMania. She says it wasn’t her fault that she wasn’t on the show. She did challenge Asuka for the RAW Women’s championship but didn’t get a response. Rhea Ripley did challenge her though and won. She then calls Ripley the biggest snake in the locker room and accuses Asuka of manipulating her way into a rematch tonight. Charlotte says no one compares to her. She is the opportunity; she creates them. She will not be humble any longer. She wants everyone to show her respect for what she has done for the industry.
Asuka (challenger) vs. Rhea Ripley (champion) – RAW Women’s Championship Match
Remember when Vince came out and said that there won’t be anymore automatic title rematches? How long did that last? Anyway, there two pick up right where they left off last night. Unfortunately this match wasn’t meant to be. After putting the locker room on notice with her words, Charlotte Flair does it with her actions. She runs down and attack Asuka and Rhea Ripley as they fought outside the ring. The ref calls for the bell as Charlotte lays waste to both women.
No Contest
Flair kicks both women into the LED board on the ring. She taunts Rhea and Asuka before mugging for the virtual crowd.
Miz runs into his wife, Maryse, backstage. John Morrison asks what she is doing here. Miz reminds him that she is his guest tonight on Miz TV.
The Women’s Tag Team champs are in the back watching Mandy Rose trip down the ramp at WrestleMania on a loop. Rose owns the fall though, and then slaps the taste out of Nia’s mouth. Dana Brooke helps her slam Jax to the floor.
Alexa Bliss is on the playground to explain what happened at WrestleMania. She tells the story of a little girl that was lost and then rescued by the darkness. The darkness protected her, but when it went away she realized she never needed it. She figured out she could do everything on her own and try to destroy the darkness. She has unlocked something truly evil. Her fun is just getting started.
Miz TV
Miz explains that his wife is here to promote the premiere of Miz and Mrs. after RAW tonight. Morrison wants a spinoff series, MMM. They talk about the episode. Miz claims everyone will be talking about it after he turned Bad Bunny into a wrestling star. Miz shows the highlights from WrestleMania.
Damien Priest comes out, accusing Miz of just trying to save face after Bad Bunny pinned him. Miz calls Priest jealous of Bunny upstaging him on the biggest stage and challenges him to a match. Morrison says he was just about to do that. Maryse points out that they both can fight him. Damien calls them idiots and accepts the handicap match.
Damien Priest vs. The Miz and John Morrison w/Maryse – 2 on 1 Handicap Match
Miz and Morrison are not dressed for ring action. Morrison beats Priest into the corner, but Miz misses the splash. Priest goes post to post dropping flying elbows. Morrison gets taken down with a Falcon arrow and Miz takes a spinning heel kick. Priest with a chokeslam, but Morrison breaks the pin.
Priest goes up top, but Morrison rolls out of the ring. Instead he leaps over the top rope to take out Miz and Morrison. He rolls John back into the ring, but Miz cuts him off on the apron. Priest knocks Miz to the floor, but it gives Morrison enough time to stop Priest from going up top. Morrison gets knocked to the mat and hit with a spinning heel kick off the top turnbuckle. Damien calls for the Hit the Lights, but Miz makes a blind tag. Morrison eats the finisher, but Miz sets up the Skull Crushing Finale. Priest counters. Maryse jumps to the apron, distracting Priest. Miz rolls him up, using the ropes for leverage, and gets the pin.
Winners via pinfall: The Miz and John Morrison
Kevin Patrick asks Nia Jax about the altercation earlier tonight with Mandy Rose. Jax calls him playing the clip unnecessary and after she is done with them no one will be talking about Mandy and Dana.
Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke vs. Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax – Non-Title Match
Jax stumbles getting into the ring, and that sets her off. Dana tries to dodge Jax, but all that does is get her trapped in the corner. Nia tosses her across the ring before crushing her in the corner. Baszler tags in, whipping Brooke into Jax. Shayna applies a stretch muffler before tossing her to the mat. Baszler tries to keep Dana from making a tag, but Rose is able to tag in. She hits a drop kick and powers Shayna into the corner. Baszler dodge a knee strike. Rose looks for a double under hook suplex, but Shayna escapes, sending Rose to the floor. Jax threatens Rose, but then slips off the apron. Jax chases Rose out of the ring. Dane and Mandy head up the ramp, wanting no part of the enraged Jax.
Winners via count out: Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler
MVP has an official announcement from the Hurt Business. After retaining his WWE Title at WrestleMania all he wanted to do was address the WWE Universe, but he doesn’t want to deal with anymore nonsense. MVP calls Drew McIntyre a warrior, but he took his eye off the ball for a second and that’s where he finished. If Drew McIntyre can’t handle the pressure of the Hurt Lock, who can? No one.
Drew McIntyre has heard enough. He knew that match was going to come down to who makes the first mistake. Drew can admit that it was him and he passed out from the Hurt Lock. Drew wants to knock Lashley off his pedestal when he gets his rematch. MVP knows Drew can respect that nothing is given and must be earned.
Braun Strowman crashes the party. MVP tells McIntyre to get to the back of the line and asks Strowman what he is doing here. Braun agrees that Drew needs to go to back of the line, while he moves to the front after destroying Shane McMahon.
Randy Orton wants a say here. Orton finished off the Fiend and Alexa Bliss. He is back to being the Legend Killer, the Apex Predator, the Viper and he is going to be the WWE champion. Adam Peirce walks out to make a Triple Threat match where the winner will face Lashley at WrestleMania Backlash.
Backstage, Strowman tries to intimidate McIntyre. Strowman lets Drew know that he is standing in the way of a championship opportunity so he has a beating coming his way.
Elias wrote a song commemorating Shane McMahon’s heroic effort versus Braun Strowman. When Elias starts to play, he is drowned out by a trombone. Kofi accuses the two men of disrespecting the tag team division by getting whooped by Strowman. Elias points out that Kofi and Woods essentially got beat by one man in Omos.
The New Day vs. Elias and Jaxson Ryker
Elias and Ryker are sent to the floor. Kofi and Xavier take them out with dives through the ropes. After an early commercial break, Ryker takes Woods to the mat with a suplex. He whip Woods into the corner, who take out Elias on the apron. Xavier goes up top, but Ryker swats him out of mid-air. Elias tags in, hitting a sliding knee, but can’t get the pin. Elias suplex Woods onto the knee of Ryker, but they still can’t get the pin. Ryker locks in a camel clutch. Woods uses a jaw breaker to break free. Woods with an enzuigiri and Kofi gets the hot tag. Kofi knees Elias taking him to the mat. Kingston hits the Boom Drop and ducks a shot from Ryker on the apron. Woods takes care of Ryker. Kofi runs Elias into the corner. Woods makes the tag and then hit Daybreak. Woods covers Elias to get the win.
Winners via pinfall: The New Day
Randy Orton claims he is no longer distracted by the Fiend and Alexa Bliss so he can focus on the WWE championship.
Firefly Funhouse
Ramblin’ Rabbit proudly introduces the return of Bray Wyatt. He is so happy to be back. Abby the witch is not happy with Alexa. Ramblin’ Rabbit is going to be so lonely without her. Bray says they have each other and this could be a brand new start. He feels reborn.
Drew McIntyre vs. Braun Strowman vs. Randy Orton – Number One Contender Triple Threat Match
Orton rolls out of the ring to let Drew and Braun fight each other. Orton tries to jump Strowman, but then teams up with McIntyre to suplex the monster. Orton turns on Drew, but Braun shoulder blocks both of them. Drew goes to the floor and the Strowman Express leaves the station. McIntyre is ready for the big man, crushing him with the ring steps. We go to commercial.
After the break, Orton head butts McIntyre. He stomps all over Drew, breaking him down. McIntyre with a clothesline and an overhead belly to belly suplex. Strowman take out Drew with a big boot and then crushes Orton in the corner. McIntyre with modified neck breaker and heads to the apron. Orton yanks Drew to floor, chopping him against the apron. Orton rams him into the ring post and bounces him off the announce table. Orton tosses McIntyre over the desk, but then turn around into a shoulder tackle from Strowman.
Braun rolls Orton into the ring and decks McIntyre with the ring steps. He clubs Orton in the head with the ring steps and hits McIntyre again for good measure. He rolls Orton back into the ring, but gets caught on the apron. Orton hits the draping DDT on Strowman. The Viper is ready to strike and he drops Braun with an RKO. Drew McIntyre breaks up the pin with Claymore to Orton. Strowman rolls to the floor as McIntyre covers Orton. He gets the three count for the win.
Winner via pinfall: Drew McIntyre
After the match, MVP walks out on stage. Drew is ambushed by T-Bar and Mace, who slam him to the mat. Looks like MVP has recruited RETRIBUTION. See you next week in the ThunderDome.
Monday Night RAW 4/12/2021
The ThunderDome at the Yuengling Center, Tampa, Florida
It’s been expected that the RAW after WrestleMania is something special with high expectations. Well, lower those expectations for tonight’s show. If you are excited for NXT call ups, you will be sorely disappointed. And the only real return was that of the Viking Raiders. The RAW commentary team got a new look though. Adnan Virk held his own and will only get better as he learns the WWE. The show it self was average, which is a big step up from the last two weeks.