Happy Monday everyone, this is a special edition of Monday Night Raw this evening as it is the second day of the WWE Draft. Superstars will be finding out their brand for the foreseeable future, but as WWE previously mentioned, all champions (excluding the Women’s Tag Team Champions) are untouchable.
The show opened with The Maverick and current United States Champion, Logan Paul, arriving at the arena in a Royals Royce. He was greeted by the Kansas City Chief’s quarterback, Patrick Mahomes and The Judgement Day. They shared pleasantries and praise before entering the arena.
At ringside, Michael Cole and Pat McAfee started things by recapping the first night of the draft this past Friday and explaining what to expect tonight. Following that, the new Women’s World Champion, Becky Lynch made her way to the ring. Lynch won the title in a battle royal in last week’s main event following Rhea Ripley relinquishing the title.
It was in KC where Lynch became The Man years ago and she still stands here today with Raw being her show. She has been working for two years to get herself a world championship again and she now never wants to let it go, but championships are meant for defending. So she wants a new number one contender and she wants to face the best.
Liv Morgan interrupted Lynch to let her know if she needed a new contender, she is right there. Morgan didn’t want Lynch to hand her an opportunity, but she feels like Lynch owes her one. The only reason Lynch has the title is because she took Ripley out and this is the Liv Morgan revenge tour with the end game being her as the champion. So, Morgan will not stop until she has everything that she wants.
Before joining the #SmackDown roster for the very first time, Nia Jax looks to make one final statement TONIGHT on #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/0JDJSMYjf3
— WWE (@WWE) April 30, 2024
Lynch agrees that the only reason she has the title is because she injured Ripley, but Morgan would’ve had the title if it wasn’t for Lynch stopping her. Nia Jax, who was drafted to Smackdown on Friday, now made her way to the ring claiming that she should be the champion. Jax said they are lucky she is no longer on Raw and she is Bayley’s problem now. However, with tonight being Jax’s last night on Raw she wants to leave by taking one of them with her. Morgan then kicked Jax off the apron and told her if she was going to make a challenge, she accepts!
The Round 1 picks are in for the WWE Draft tonight and Stephanie McMahon is announcing the picks.
Raw selects: Imperium (Gunther & Ludwig Kaiser) and Damage Ctrl (Iyo Sky, Asuka, Kairi Sane & Dakota Kai)
SmackDown selects: Jade Cargill and Kevin Owens
Gunther w/Ludwig Kaiser vs. Xavier Woods w/Kofi Kingston
The New Day defeated Imperium last week on Raw and that led to Kaiser kicking Giovanni Vinci out of Imperium with a vicious attack. So, tonight Gunther steps in to hopefully get the win back for his faction. Gunther was outsmarting Woods and he stepped out of the way of a dive to deliver a brutal chops to Woods’ chest. Woods attempted to fight back, but it only angered Gunther and led to even more stiff chops.
Even though he was very beaten down, Woods was able to hit Gunther with a diving missile dropkick and he tried to follow that with a springboard attack, but Gunther trapped his knee in the ropes. With Woods trapped, Gunther began attacking Woods’ knee and it was clear he was very hurt. Gunther saw a bullseye on Woods’ knee from that point on and continued his attack with a single-leg crab. Woods was screaming in agony and Kingston contemplated throwing in the towel, but Woods screamed at him that he could do it and he somehow broke the hold. However, Gunther came right back locking in a brutal STF with Woods’ leg trapped and Woods had no choice but to submit.
Winner: Gunther
The Round 2 picks are in, and the United States Champion, Logan Paul and influencer, IShowSpeed are announcing the picks.
Raw selects: CM Punk and Braun Strowman
SmackDown selects: The Pride (Bobby Lashley, Montez Ford, Angelo Dawkins & B-Fab) and Tiffany Stratton
After announcing the selections, Paul wanted to get real and he wanted to know why Jey Uso was running his mouth. Jey mocked Paul earlier tonight in an interview due to earlier comments from Paul. He said Jey was stupid for leaving The Bloodline because he is incapable of winning a title on his own. Jey now made his way to the ring and he asked the crowd if he should knock the yeet out of Paul.
Paul just laughed in Jey’s face, calling him little brother and he said the difference between them is that he is tight with his bloodline. Finn Bálor and JD McDonagh now made their way to the ring to surround Jey and Paul continued to run his mouth calling Jey stupid. Bálor and McDonagh attacked Jey beating him down and Paul then went to Patrick Mahomes sitting ringside to borrow his Super Bowl rings.
BRAUN STROWMAN IS BACK!
The Monster of all Monsters wants a fight with #USChampion@LoganPaul & @PatrickMahomes of the @Chiefs during the #WWEDraft right now on #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/luJtTEiADf
— WWE (@WWE) April 30, 2024
Paul took a swing at Jey with the rings on his hand, but Jey ducked and he knocked JD out. Jey laughed at this error, but now Paul and Bálor tried to attack him. Luckily Jey had some backup, the Monster of all Monsters, Braun Strowman is back! Strowman rushed the ring and choke slammed Bálor into the mat while Paul retreated through the crowd. Strowman then turned his attention to Mahomes and the KC Chiefs, but Jey stopped him before anything escalated.
Strowman is back on Raw and he looks better than ever.
R-Truth was backstage making deals that he thought were in his favour, but in reality, he was just very confused as usual. The Miz tried to question what kind of deals they were making and he ended up following Truth as he walked away. Gable was left backstage and he was knocked out with a big boot from Sami Zayn! This feud is bringing some real anger out of Zayn and I cannot wait to see them eventually face off.
Booker T was at Raw for the draft and he was speaking highly of Raw drafting CM Punk when he was interrupted by Drew McIntyre. He wanted to know why Booker was talking about Punk instead of him, the man who won the world title at WrestleMania. Booker responded by asking if he was talking about the title he no longer has, but Drew said he remembers the way Booker used to speak about Punk. Drew will never get over his issues with Punk until he they finally fight.
Intercontinental Championship: Sami Zayn (c) vs. Bronson Reed
Zayn was showcasing his agility with a springboard moonsault and he then attempted a diving crossbody only to be caught in mid-air. Reed then slammed him into the mat and dropped onto him with a running senton. He continued his attack with a uranage, a buckle bomb, a sit-out powerbomb and a diving shoulder tackle off the apron. It seemed like Reed was in full control, but as he got back into the ring he was hit with a Helluva Kick from Zayn.
Who got the LAST LAUGH?#WWERawpic.twitter.com/yR7DcF3HWc
— WWE (@WWE) April 30, 2024
However, as Zayn went for the cover he was hit from behind by a German suplex from Chad Gable causing a disqualification. Gable continued his attack by locking Zayn into an ankle lock, once Gable released the hold, Reed dove from the top rope hitting Zayn with a Tsunami. Gable then stood over Zayn holding up the IC title, but he was hit by a Death Valley Driver from Reed. Reed then stood over both of them with the IC title over his head. Multiple people want Zayn’s championship.
Winner: Still Intercontinental Champion, Sami Zayn (via DQ)
Round 3 picks are in and being announced by WWE Hall of Famers, The APA, Ron Simmons and JBL.
Raw selects: The LWO (Rey Mysterio, Dragon Lee, Cruz Del Toro, Joquin Wilde, Zelina Vega & Carlito) and Drew McIntyre
SmackDown selects: Legado Del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Angel, Berto & Elektra Lopez) and Shinsuke Nakamura
Drew McIntyre came out questioning how he fell to the third round and the crowd responded by chanting CM Punk. Drew said Punk is just a corporate ass-kisser and at WrestleMania, he fractured his elbow with his attack. Despite that injury, Drew said he has still been coming to work while Punk has been sitting at home collecting a paycheck.
Just then Cult of Personality blared through the arena and CM Punk was up in the rafters. He told Drew he isn’t at home he is right here. Punk proceeded to call Drew a little bi*** and dared him to come find him!
Drew ran into the back on a mission to find his nemesis and all Ron Simmons could say was DAMN!
The newest member of Raw, Bron Breakker joined Cathy Kelley backstage. Breakker said he is the best possible pick and he is here to take this place over. He was then interrupted by Sheamus, who was also drafted to Raw, and he told Breakker he has high expectations for him. He told him he expects him to be like Shamus and put on banger after banger. Just as Sheamus was talking, Drew McIntyre came running by, we can only assume on the hunt for CM Punk.
Candice LeRae vs. Maxxine Dupri
Dupri is trying to prove herself, she hits LeRae with a spin kick, a fisherman suplex, a bulldog and a reverse Caterpillar. She was then able to lock LeRae into an ankle lock, but to cause a distraction Indi Hartwell drove Ivy Nile into the ring post on the outside. With that LeRae broke the hold and hit Dupri with a Wicked Step-Mother to get the victory.
Winner: Candice LeRae
Drew McIntyre continued to look through the arena for CM Punk, he was directed into a suite where all he found was an autographed picture of Punk. As Drew was frustrated up in the suite, Punk made his way out to the ring. Punk said he wants to try and deliver his promo in less time than Drew’s world title reign. He told Drew he knows he has his attention, he is like a crazy ex he can’t get rid of.
Punk said he is glad he hurt his elbow because he prayed for Punk to get injured. The real reason Punk was drafted before Drew is that Drew spends too much time on Twitter. Punk is the best in the world in the ring, on the microphone and even on commentary; Drew cannot touch him. Losers hope things will happen, while winners make things happen. Punk promises when he is healthy he will make Drew’s life a living hell.
Round 4 picks are in, and WWE Hall of Famers Alundra Blayze and Teddy Long are announcing the selections.
Raw selects: The Judgement Day (Finn Bálor, Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh) and Ilja Dragunov
SmackDown selects: Naomi and Chelsea Green & Piper Niven
Liv Morgan vs. Nia Jax
Jax was using her strength early, but Morgan was not backing down and continued to fight back. She got Jax hung up on the ropes and drove her knees into Jax’s chest. However, Jax then caught a baseball slide from Morgan and slammed her face-first into the announce table. Jax maintained control with a Samoan drop, but Morgan then tripped Jax into the turnbuckle and double-stomped her into the mat. It seemed like Morgan had some momentum, but she ran into a spine buster from Jax. Jax now wanted the Annihilator, but Morgan stopped her and power-bombed her from the second rope.
It was shown early in the match that Tiffany Stratton was watching the match at ringside and in the middle of the match she was attacked by Naomi. Stratton and Naomi were brawling on the outside which distracted Jax. The distraction allowed Morgan to hit Jax with a codebreaker and an Oblivion to steal the victory.
Winner: Liv Morgan
Round 5 picks are in and the Dudley Boyz are here to announce the round.
Raw selects: The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) and Lyra Valkyria
SmackDown selects: Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince & Kit Wilson) and Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell
World Tag Team Championship Match: The Awesome Truth (The Miz & R-Truth) (c) vs. Alpha Academy (Otis & Akira Tozawa)
This is the deal Chad Gable made with Truth earlier, but it did not end up going in his favour. Awesome Truth made quick work of Otis and Tozawa defeating Tozawa with a Skull Crushing Finale-Little Jimmy combination.
Winners: Still World Tag Team Champions, The Awesome Truth
The final round of the draft is here, the general managers of Raw and Smackdown, Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis are finishing it off.
Raw selects: The Final Testament (Karrion Kross, Akam, Rezar & Scarlett) and Bronson Reed
SmackDown selects: #DIY (Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano) and Blair Davenport
Jey Uso, Ricochet & Andrade vs. The Judgement Day (Damian Priest, Finn Bálor & JD McDonagh)
We got some high-flying early in this match as Uso, Ricochet and Andrade all dove through the ropes with suicide dives onto J-Day. Despite the aerial attack, Priest hit Ricochet with a falcon’s arrow, a flurry of kicks and a running back elbow. J-Day now started to showcase their teamwork; all three members of the team were hitting Ricochet with their best shots. Ricochet needed a comeback and he caught JD with a recoil before tagging in Uso.
Uso was rolling, hitting Bálor with many strikes and a diving crossbody from the top rope. Andrade then hit JD with his signature spinning elbow, but Priest kicked Andrade in the head and dropped Ricochet with a flat liner. Priest now tagged himself in to hit Uso with a lariat and he then tried for a Razor’s Edge, but Uso slipped out and hit a Samoan drop. Uso went to the top, but Priest grabbed him by the throat. JD clearly didn’t see Priest had him and pushed Uso off the top rope.
The World Heavyweight Champion is getting REAL annoyed right now…#WWERawpic.twitter.com/hxzPh7diU3
— WWE (@WWE) April 30, 2024
Priest was so confused and turned into a superkick from Jey, so Bálor tagged himself in. Bálor walked into a spear and Jey then hit the Uso Splash to get the victory. J-Day seemingly screwed Priest out of this victory and Jey now has all the momentum heading into his title match against Priest this Saturday.
