In the span of four months the Miz went from WWE Champion to getting devoured in the ring by zombies. That is quite a fall from the top and now the stink of Monday Night RAW has permeated pay per views. WrestleMania Backlash was good, with the zombies removed. Granted both men’s and women’s championship matches were triple threat affairs that were basically set up in identical fashion, but at least no one was eaten in the middle of the ring by the undead. Reluctantly, let’s head into the ThunderDome.
WWE Champion, Bobby Lashley, picks up several lovely ladies backstage that accompany him to the ring. MVP hypes up Lashley’s win, pointing out that Braun Strowman has broken ribs and Drew McIntyre couldn’t get out of bed this morning. And he did all that damage while injured. Well, his knuckles were injured at least from delivering such a beating. The All Mighty Era never ends; we are all blessed.
MVP issues an open challenge to anyone in the WWE locker room. So much for McIntyre not being able to get out of bed, as answers the call. MVP informs Drew that the open challenge was for anyone but him or Strowman. The champ tries to take a cheap shot at McIntyre, but Drew ducks it and fights him off. Lashley and MVP escape the ring to the floor.
AJ Styles w/Omos vs. Elias w/Jaxson Ryker
Since winning the titles at WrestleMania, the RAW tag team champs have wrestled as a team….(checks notes)…just once. Elias tweaks his knee hitting the floor going into the break, as Omos and Ryker give each other the stink eye. After the commercials, Elias isn’t any worse for the wear. He poses over AJ, after slamming him to the floor. A Pele kick staggers Elias and AJ follows with the Ushigoroshi. Elias counters the Styles Clash. Elias hits a jumping knee, but it isn’t enough to get the pin even after following up with Drift Away. Styles with an elbow and looks for the Phenomenal forearm. Ryker yanks AJ off the apron and the ref calls for the bell.
Winner via disqualification: AJ Styles
After the match, Ryker draws Omos up the ramp, allowing Elias to slam AJ into the steps. Omos realizes his mistake and chases Elias off.
The New Day got Riddle’s message and they are looking for a two headed snake. Orton shows up, thinking that is a shot at him. Riddle may have stretched the truth to get everyone together. Riddle wants to make this a four man team. He thinks Randy should apologize for dropping Kofi and Xavier with RKOs. Orton won’t be doing that. He isn’t sorry. Kofi tries to warn Riddle that Orton will turn on him and than challenges Orton to match. Riddle isn’t happy with how this turned out.
Alexa’s Playground
Alexa welcomes the new Women’s Tag Team champions, Natalya and Tamina , to the swing set. Tamina is sufficiently freaked out and wants to bail before the question even start. Alexa isn’t happy with Tamina’s answer, but Lilly likes them since they beat up Reginald. Tamina says Reggie will get smacked around again if he tries to interfere tonight. Alexa goes on and on about what Lilly likes, so the tag champs sneak away.
Angel Garza vs. Drew Gulak
Garza all ready shoved a rose up Gulak’s backside; not sure where else could be as bad. Garza dominates while talking trash. He connects with a butterfly backbreaker. Garza hits the wing clipper and covers for the win.
Winner via pinfall: Angel Garza
After the match, Garza shoves a rose down Gulak’s throat.
R-Truth tells Kevin Patrick he can’t see anything when he closes his eyes. Truth wants to keep a low profile, but Akira Tozawa is creeping his way down the stairs behind the two. Tozawa rolls Truth up and gets the three count.
Winner…and new 24/7 Champion…via pinfall: Akira Tozawa
Eva Marie is coming back, for some reason. It’s the Eva-lution and I fell like this gimmick has been tried at least twice before.
Randy Orton w/Riddle vs. Kofi Kingston w/Xavier Woods
Kofi hip checks Orton out of the ring and goes to the floor after him. Orton tosses Kingston back into the ring. He backs Kofi into the corner with uppercuts and chokes him on the ropes. Orton with a stomp and a pin, but Kofi kicks out. The Viper applies a chin lock. Kofi fights his way out only to get head butted. Kofi connects with a desperation drop kick and Orton grabs his shoulder. Another drop kick sends Orton to the mat. Orton with a power slam. Woods starts playing the trombone, distracting Orton and allowing Kofi to roll him up. Kofi holds on to get the three count.
Winner via pinfall: Kofi Kingston
After the match, Riddle has to hold Orton back from going ballistic. Orton storms off. Riddle shoves Woods to the mat and chases after his partner.
Lana and Naomi argue with Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose over which team deserves a tag team title match. Charlotte walks in telling them that they have blown all their chances. Sonya Deville says a decision will be made, but first her and Adam Pearce need to have a discussion. Charlotte wants a one on one match with Rhea Ripley for the RAW Women’s title since she was not pinned last night. Sonya tells her that they will get back to her. Rhea walks in, telling Flair that she is ready for some new competition, not yesterday’s news.
Natalya and Tamina (champions) vs. Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler (challengers) – WWE Women’s Tag Team Title Match
Jax bull rushes Natalya at the bell, running her over. Baszler makes a quick tag, delivering a knee strike. A clothesline stops Nattie from getting to her corner and a much needed tag. A discuss clothesline takes down Jax, who shrugs off the pinfall. Tamina gets the tag, only to get slammed. Jax goes up top, but Tamina catches her. She then catches a kick from Baszler, lifting her up.
Alexa Bliss and Lilly walk out on stage, with Tamina Kirifuda clutch, the ring pyro goes off. Reginald gets blasted off the ring steps. Baszler breaks the hold in shock. Nattie tags in. She hits a clothesline and makes the covers for the three count.
Winner…and still Women’s Tag Team champions…via pinfall: Natalya and Tamina.
After the match, Lilly’s laughter rings out through the ThunderDome.
Sheamus is upset the Ricochet made off with his hat and jacket last night. In the back, Sarah Schreiber, asks Ricochet about it. Ricochet looks very pleased with himself. He walks off, only to come back with said hat and jacket.
Sheamus vs. Ricochet
Can Ricochet please go back to NXT, where he is utilized to the best of his abilities. Sheamus charges Ricochet on the ramp, but Ricochet hits him with a drop toe hold. A connects with a drop kick in the ring. Sheamus catches him with a clothesline and asserts his dominance. Ricochet fires away with punches and strikes, only to get taken down in the corner. Ricochet applies a sleeper, but Sheamus slings him off. The Celtic Warrior locks in an arm bar. A jawbreaker creates some space. Ricochet with a face breaker and an enziguri sends Sheamus to the floor. Ricochet gets caught on the plancha and Sheamus slams him into the ring post.
After the break, Sheamus catches Ricochet on the apron for the Beats of the Bowery. Ricochet fights off the Dublin smile, delivering elbows. An Irish Curse back breaker plants Ricochet in the mat. Sheamus goes up top, but takes too much time. Ricochet with a Spanish fly from the top rope. He follows with a springboard elbow and a shooting star press. Sheamus kicks out at two.
Ricochet dodges a Brogue kick and Sheamus gets caught up in the ropes. Ricochet goes up top, but Sheamus rolls to the floor. Ricochet launches himself into Sheamus with a cross body on the floor. Ricochet hits a springboard 450, but Sheamus kicks out. Ricochet springboards off the ropes, right into a pump kick. Ricochet barely kicks out. Sheamus connects with the Brogue Kick and makes the cover to get the pin.
Winner via pinfall: Sheamus
After the match, Sheamus berates his opponent. He then teases that he may accept Bobby Lashley’s open challenge.
Mace and T-Bar are going to make Bobby Lashley pay. Please let these two go back to their NXT names.
Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair
The two lock up. Asuka connects with a drop kick and follows with a hip attack. Charlotte unleashes an elbow strike that sends Asuka to the mat. Flair catches a kicks from Asuka on the apron and drops her. The RAW Women’s champ, Rhea Ripley, makes her entrance, heading to ringside to watch the match up close.
The two trade near falls, as Ripley looks on. Flair hits a back breaker and follows with a neck breaker. Flair drives Asuka face first into the canvas. Asuka looks for a backslide, but Flair kicks out. A kick sends Charlotte to the mat. Asuka hits a German suplex and hits the hip attack in the corner. Flair is down after a bulldog, but it’s not enough to put her away. Asuka runs into a big boot. Flair’s Natural Selection is countered. A back elbow nearly scores Flair a pin.
Charlotte takes Asuka up top, but has the Spanish Fly blocked. Asuka hits a missile drop kick. Flair ducks a kick, but can’t get the roll up pin. Asuka rolls through into a knee bar in the middle of the ring. Flair powers out, but Asuka tries for a triangle hold. Charlotte counters with a Boston crab. Asuka looks for the Asuka lock, but Flair is able to get to the ropes. Charlotte locks in a knee bar over the ropes, holding it for a four count. She then slams Asuka into the announce table and gets in Ripley’s face. Asuka blocks a figure four attempt, sending Flair into Ripley on the apron. Flair looks for the figure four again, but Asuka counters with a small package roll up. She is able to hold on for the three count.
Winner via pinfall: Asuka
John Morrison tells Kevin Patrick that after last night he feels dead inside; like he is rotting away. He dedicated tonight’s match to the Miz.
Damien Priest vs. John Morrison – Lumberjack Match
Hey, it’s Nikki Cross with the Lumberjacks! Mace and T-bar put the boots to Priest when he hits the floor, until the other lumberjacks intervene. Morrison slips out of the ring and Nikki Cross tosses him back in. Morrison hits the floor again and parkours his way over the lumberjacks, only to get planted in the middle of the ring by Priest.
Morrison kicks Priest our of the ring and the Viking Raider toss him back in. Priest with a cliff hanger DDT, but can’t get the pin. Morrison knocks Priest to the floor, where Mace and T-Bar go to town on him. Priest is whipped to the ropes and he flies over the top to take out Mace a T-Bar. Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander start to fight at ringside, as Priest hits a superplex, taking out almost everyone on the floor. The Viking Raiders toss both men into the ring. Morrison takes a hurricanrana off the top rope. Priest follows with Hit the Lights and covers to get the win.
Winner via pinfall: Damien Priest
After the match, Priest tells Sarah Schreiber that he may accepts Bobby Lashley’s open challenge.
Kevin Patrick catches up with Shelton Benjamin backstage, asking him about Cedric Alexander. Benjamin wants to talk about challenging Bobby Lashley instead. Cedric has something to say about that, or a round of applause. Shelton is a legend in his own mind. Alexander calls the win last week a fluke. Cedric calls him worthless and gets punched for that.
Bobby Lashley and MVP are in the ring looking for someone to step up and answer the challenge. It’s a NEW DAY! Kofi Kingston is answering the bell. Lashley calls him crazy.
Before the ref can ring the bell, MVP points out he never said anything about a championship match. He tells Kofi he isn’t worthy of being in the same ring.
Bobby Lashley w/MVP vs. Kofi Kingston w/Xavier Woods
Kofi charges right into a chokeslam, but some how kicks out at two. Lashley picks Kingston up, but Kofi is able to get out of the vertical suplex. A drop kicks sends Lashley to the floor. Kingston takes out the champ, flying over the top rope.
During the break, Kofi was rocked by an elbow and now Lashley has him cornered with shots to the mid-section. The champ holds Kofi up for the stalling vertical suplex. Kofi fights out of the Lashley’s grip and is able to counter with a DDT. Kingston lands the Boom Drop, only to eat a flatliner. Kofi somehow kicks out. Woods lends some support with the sounds of the trombone. Lashley bites and Kofi with a modified DDT. Lashley counters the SOS into another flatliner. He does Kofi to the floor before slamming him into the ring post. Lashley picks up Kofi on his shoulders and Woods pulls him down. The official focuses on Woods, allowing Drew McIntyre to run down. Drew grabs MVP’s cane and strikes Lashley with it. Kofi is able to roll up Lashley and get the pin.
Winner via pinfall: Kofi Kingston
That’s the show. See you next week in the ThunderDome.
Monday Night RAW 5/17/2021
The ThunderDome at Yuengling Center, Tampa, Florida
It’s amazing how much better RAW is when they focus on the wrestling. Sheamus and Ricochet put on a clinic, while Charlotte Flair and Asuka easily could have been the main event. That doesn’t take away the performance Kofi Kingston put on the main event, pulling double duty tonight. The RK-Bro angle is still interesting. Alexa Bliss is still keeping things weird, but most importantly, there where not any zombies to be found.
