The big story heading into Monday Night RAW is that Becky Lynch announced on social media that she won’t be at the show tonight and scrubbed WWE from her profile. Is it a work? Probably, but people are eating it up. Some theorize that she will be attacking Trish Stratus by coming out of the crowd. We are on the road to Backlash, so let’s get to the action. Seeing as this is RAW though, we will be subject to a 20 minute talking segment first.
The Bloodline (sans Roman Reigns) kicks off the show, but they don’t look like they are ready for a match yet. Paul Heyman is quickly interrupted by the Judgment Day. Now this is interesting. Paul shakes hands with Damien Priest, are we looking at a potential team up here? The Tribal Chief has put his stamp of approval on this. The Usos on the other hand were left in the dark. Finn Balor is willing to put aside his issues for the short term gains. What’s the end game here?
The Judgment Day are tasked with taking out Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Riddle in a six man tag. While Solo will be taking on Rey Mysterio. That match takes place, now!
Rey Mysterio vs. Solo Sikoa
Rey avoids Solo by go up and over in the corner and follows with a springboard cross body. Sikoa kicks out at one. He lands a massive kick and slams Rey into the corner. Rey breaks free of a hold, only to get smashed into the mat with a lariat. A toe hold sends Solo dropping into the bottom turnbuckle, but Sikoa cuts off Rey up top. Mysterio fights his way off the shoulders, sending Solo spilling to the floor.
After a commercial break, Solo is back in full control. Rey drops down to avoid a hip attack in the corner, but can’t get Sikoa over ont he sunset flip. Rey dodge the Solo trying to drop onto him and hits a seated senton. Sikoa catches Rey in mid air with a Samoan Drop. Rey kicks out at two. Mysterion fights his way off the shoulders again, sends Solo into the ropes and hits the 619. Mysterio with the frog splash, but Sikoa kicks out. Rey drops Solo into the ropes again, but stops in his tracks and the Usos walk out to the ring. The LWO attack from out of the crowd, taking out the Usos. Solo catches Rey on the 619. Rey fights out of the Samoan Drop and hits the 619. Sikoa dodges the diving head butt. He picks Rey up and finishes him with the Samoan spike. Solo covers to get the win.
Winner via pinfall: Solo Sikoa
After the match, the Usos and Solo demolish the LWO in the ring. Mysterio takes the One D. Mysterio has been dealt with.
Earlier today, Chad Gable tries to talk Adam Pearce into keeping them as a package for the upcoming draft. Maxxine Dupree wants Otis to go out on his own. Pearce doesn’t have time for this nonsense.
Bianca Belair vs. Dakota Kai w/Bayley and Iyo Sky
Dakota with a mistake in the corner and Bianca summersaults over her. She follows with a standing moonsault, but Kai kicks out at two. Belair gets herself caught in the ropes and Kai kicks her to the floor. Bianca with a delayed vertical suplex and follows with a springboard moonsault. Kai kicks out again. Belair blocks the scorpion kicks, but can’t avoid getting smashed face first into the mat. Dakota with a kick into the corner and goes up top. Bianca rolls away from danger and hits a gut buster. Kai blocks the KOD grabbing Bianca’s braid. Belair dodges the kick in the corner and his the KOD. She covers and gets the three count.
Winner via pinfall: Bianca Belair
So Bronson Reed is Mr. Nice Guy.
Damien Priest says he will no longer be Bad Bunny’s friend. Paul Heyman asks Judgment Day if they are satisfied. Balor says, “Eh?” Priest tells Heyman that they will handle their business. Paul tells them to call Roman.
Cody Rhodes makes his way to the ring and he is dressed to fight. Brock Lesnar is in the building. Cody wants to talk about and talk to Brock. Adam Pearce walks out instead, informing Rhodes that he can’t let this happen tonight. Cody is not medically cleared. The crowd wants Brock. He asks Rhodes to leave the ring. Cody agrees to leaves. He grabs a chair and returns to the ring. Pearce bags him not to do this and calls security down to the ring. Some dudes making minimum wage are about to get laid out.
Here I though it would be by Cody, but the Beast Incarnate is on the ramp. Pearce begs Cody to not do this and offers him a match with Lesnar at Backlash. Rhodes snaps and starts beating down the randos with impunity. Brock is loving it. Another wave of security stops Cody on the ramp before he can read Brock. Rhodes breaks free, but Lesnar has left. Cody is done with Brock, calling him a coward.
After the commercial break, Brock is shown leaving the arena.
The Miz vs. Seth Rollins
The Miz strikes from out of nowhere before Rollins can even get in the ring. Miz slams him into the announce table and tosses him back into the ring. Rollins is rolled into the ring and the bell rings.
Miz is quite upset listening to the crowd sing for Seth. Rollins sends Mix to the floor and takes him out with a suicide dive. He hits a second one and then completes the hat trick. Miz shoves Rollins off the security barrier, into the time keepers area.
After the commercial break, the fight has returned to the ring, where Seth connects with a enzuiguri. Rollins blasts Miz with a lariat and follows with a splash in the corner. Rollins with a sling blade that only nets a two count. Miz cuts down Rollins up top. Miz avoids a buckle bomb and hits a Code Breaker in the corner. Miz unleashes the It Kicks. Rollins catches the leg and delivers a buckle bomb. Miz gets his knee up on the splash and nearly gets a pin. Seth counters the Skull Crushing Finale with a roll up. Miz kicks out. Rollins with a super kick. Miz with a knee drop to the back of Seth’s leg. Miz locks in the figure four. Rollins is able to grab the ropes to break the hold. Miz goes for another figure four and Rollins counters with a roll up. Mix kicks out. Rollins wants the stomp, btu Miz counters. He drops Seth with two spike DDT’s, but still can’t get the pin. Miz sets Seth up on the turnbuckle and wants the Skull Crushing Finale. Seth fights back hitting a superplex into a Falcon Arrow. Rollins stomps Miz into the mat and gets the three count.
Winner via pinfall: Seth Rollins
Sami Zayn wants to get on the same page with KO and Riddle. Owens shuts Riddle down, not really wanting to hear his ideas. Sami wants to hear him out. Riddle wants to tape his toe up and strike with the Toe Bro, you know, like the Samoan Spike. KO calls this the stupidest idea ever. Riddle is kidding, making an impassioned plea to why he wants to take out the Bloodline.
Bobby Lashley vs. Austin Theory
Non-title match, huh? So, Lashley is going to win? The All Mighty starts with a vertical suplex and then sends the champ to the floor. Bobby is in total control going into the commercial break. Kevin Patrick tries to sell us on how sensational this match is, but I’m not buying it. Lashley is destroying Theory. Austin jumps the spear, but can’t hit the A-Town Down. Lashley counters with a powerbomb, but Theory kicks out. Austin rolls out of the ring to avoid the spear. Theory rolls back into the ring and finds himself in the Hurt Lock. Bronson Reed flattens Lashley out of nowhere and the ref calls for the bell.
Winner via disqualification: Bobby Lashley
Reed keeps up the attack on the floor, brutalizing Lashley. He rolls Bobby back into the ring. Bobby fights back and wants the Hurt Lock, but Theory drop kicks him in the back. Reed with a Samoan Drop and follows with a Tsunami.
Didn’t think I’d ever hear Trish Stratus getting booed again. And she in full throwback mode, looking like she stepped out of the Attitude Era. Stratus takes full credit for bringing respectability to the women’s division. Not Lita, just her. She even takes credit for the Revolution and having women main event Mania. The Four Horsewomen didn’t change women’s wrestling in WWE; Trish calls that statement a joke. Lynch never thanked Stratus for opening the door. Trish calls out Lita for being Becky’s sidekick, one year after feuding with her. She takes full credit for taking out Lita. The crowd isn’t pleased with Trish taking out Lynch. Stratus is not anyone’s sidekick; she calls herself the greatest and drops the mic. And so much for Becky attacking from out of the crowd.
Cody Rhodes tells Cathy Kelly that he is satisfied that Brock Lesnar accepted the match for Backlash. Cody is confused why he was held back though. He apologizes to Adam Pearce, but he just can’t allow what happened with Brock to pass.
Michin and Candice LaRae vs. Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green
The tag champs, Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez, are at commentary as they are taking on Deville and Green on Friday. Oh, and Nikki Cross is watching LeRae from the crowd, so that’s still a thing. Chelsea scores the pin on Minchin to pick up the win. No surprise there; it would be silly to have them lose going into a title match.
Winners via pinfall: Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green
Speaking of silly, Green provokes the champs by tossing water into Liv’s face. Raquel chases them off.
Rick Boogs doesn’t want to be drafted; he just got to RAW. Baron Corbin jumps in to remind the Street Profits that tag teams can be split up. Elias tells Boogs that he will put a good word for him. Akira Tozawa tells Elias he will be the last pick, while no one will want Baron Corbin.
The Usos cut a promo for Backlash.
Finn Balor, Damien Priest and Dominik Mysterio w/Rhea Ripley vs. Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Riddle
Finn and Sami ace off, with Sami scaring Balor into his corner, where Dominik tags in. He immediately tags in Priest. Owens wans in; Sami grants his wish. Owens with a drop kick and follow with a senton. Priest answers with a straight punch. Balor tags in and gets crushed to the mat by KO. Owens goes to the floor, where Ripley absolutely flattens him. Riddle gets the hot tag and clears the ring. Balor takes an exploder suplex and Broton. A fisherman’s suplex gets Riddle a near fall. Riddle kicks Balor to the floor and yanks Mysterio over the ropes. I don’t know what he had planned because Priest decks him on the apron.
After the break, Priest nearly knocks out Riddle. Balor and Priest double team him. Zayn gets the hot tag, taking down Mysterio and tossing Balor and Priest to the floor. Sami goes up top, but Dom cuts him off. Zayn hits with a sunset flip powerbomb from the top turnbuckle. Sami goes up top again, only to get pushed off by Ripley. Dom hits a frog splash on Zayn, but KO break up the pin. A Flatliner from Priest takes out Riddle. Ripley trips Sami, but the ref catches her and tosses her from ringside. Dom with a roll up, but Sami kicks out. Zayn with a Blue Thunder Bomb, but Mysterio kicks out. Owens with a swanton, but Dom blocks it by getting the knees up. Balor in and hits a shotgun drop kick. Balor misses the Coup de Gras and Owens hits him with a stunner. KO cuts off Priest with a stunner, allowing Zayn to connect with a Helluva kick to Balor. Riddle hits the Floating Bro and covers to the get the three count.
Winners via pinfall: Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Riddle
After the bell, the Usos and Solo attack. Rey Mysterio and the LWO run in to the make the save. It’s mayhem inside and outside the ring. Rey with a 619 to his son has KO slams Priest through the announce table.
Monday Night RAW 4/17/2023
Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock, Arkansas
What a show! It’s hard to believe that two weeks ago was one of the worst Monday Night Raws ever. Seth Rollins and the Miz put on a match that had no right to be that good. We are talking PLE level. Rey Mysterio and Solo Sikoa set the mood for the night with their opening match. The story of the Bloodline and Judgment Day striking a deal to take care of each others problems is a great. I didn’t see the LWO throwing a wrench into things coming. Can’t beat good old fashioned faction warfare! And how can I forget Trish. She cut a great heel promo. Never thought I see her get booed ever again.
