This week’s (18th April 2016) WWE Raw comes live from the O2 Arena, London, UK. It looks like Shane McMahon is in-charge of this week’s Raw too. There was no sign or indication of The Authority or Vince McMahon.
Also read: [Video] WWE Raw Results, 25 April, 2016, Full Show with Video Highlights
Yet another roller coaster ride of a Raw. Several storylines were advanced and three huge matches for WWE Payback were set. Bullet Club also made their pressence felt and left a lot of questions in their wake. Tag team tournament continued in this week’s Raw and two finalists were found out.
Overall, it was an entertaining Raw with few low points to note for.
Watch how this week’s, Monday Night, 18th April WWE Raw went down:
Ambrose Asylum with special guest Shane McMahon
Today’s Raw starts off with the Ambrose Asylum and the special guest is none other than Shane McMahon. Shane talks about new opportunities once again and out comes Owens to interrupt again. Owens has some few choice words for Shane as he accuses Shane of being drunk with power and having personal vendetta against him.
The argument escalates and out comes Sami Zayn and Jericho to speak their mind. Soon, all the four men argue with Ambrose watching on. And Out of nowhere, Ambrose asks them to be careful around the plant(!?)
The segment ends with Shane announcing two huge matches for WWE Payback – Jericho vs Ambrose and Sami Zayn vs Kevin Owens.
Sami Zayn vs Chris Jericho
Following the announcement, Jericho and Zayn faced off each other in a rematch of sorts from SmackDown. This time there was no color commentry from Owens and Ambrose to increase the value of the fight though.
After a good ten minutes of back and forth action Jericho picks up the win with a thumb to the eye and a codebreaker. Zayn almost had Jericho with the Helluva kick before Jericho used his experience and heel tactics to sucker Zayn in to deliver the thumb to the eye.
Backstage reunion of AJ Styles with Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson
Backstage Mauro Ranallo is set to interview AJ Styles, the #1 Contender for WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Surprisingly, Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson interfere and the former Bullet Club members have a reuninon of sorts.
Does this mean AJ Styles will be leading the Bullet Club or is this just simple reunion? Let’s wait and see.
Enzo and Cass beat The Dudley Boyz and advance to the finals
Enzo and Cass cut a shot promo before the Dudley Boyz came out. Both Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von isolated Enzo and worked on the small man. Bubba Ray Dudley’s entertaining hell antics made most of the match up.
Well into the match, Bigg Cass gets the hot tag and goes on a rampage to take out the Dudleys. A big boot by Cass and a frog splash from Enzo allows the NXT’s favourite tag team to pull of the upset.
Roman Reings promo
Roman Reigns is out next and he cuts a mediocre promo for the match at WWE Payback. Soon the #1 Contender joins the “The Guy” in the ring. After a exchange of barbed words and establishing their differences AJ Styles walks off.
As AJ makes his way up the ramp, Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson attack Roman from behind. They lay out Roman in a similar fashion to last week and walk off and join Styles on the ramp. AJ looks utterly flabbergasted with the happenings.
Later, AJ meets Reigns backstage and tells him that he was not in on the attack. But, Reigns doesn’t believe him. He tells him to bring all his friends and it has always been “One Versus All”
Is AJ in on the attack or Doc and Karl are acting on their own. If not, who is pulling the strings?
Baron Corbin beats Fandango via pinfall
Baron Corbin continued his run of dominance this week on Raw by crushing Fandango. The Lone Wolf took apart Fandango in a squash match. Dolph Ziggler was at ringside on commentary for the match.
Ziggler tried to attack later as Corbin after Corbin threw Fandango over Ziggler during the match, but Corbin flattened the Show Off to end the segment with his End of Days.
Cesaro and New Day beat Miz and League of Nations via pinfall
The Miz and Maryse are out next. The Miz cuts a small heel pep talk before Cesaro enters to a tremendous ovation. Cesaro and The Miz go back and forth with famous quote lines – Miz using Liam Neeson’s famous Taken quote, while Cesaro used Roddy Piper’s quote. Miz later announces that Cesaro will be facing Rusev.
Cesaro pulls one on the Leagiue of Nations and The Miz and out comes New Day to set a eight man tag team match. After a strong match, Cesaro and New Day beat the League of Nations and The Miz by pinfall.
Cesaro hits a Gotch Neutralizer on Sheamus and picks up the victory.
Natalya, Paige, Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch def. Naomi, Summer Rae, Charlotte and Tamina in a eight women tag team match
Before the match in a backstage segment, Natalya drops a bomb on Charlotte when she informs that Bret Hart will be in her corner at WWE Payback to even things.
All the members of the face team get great pop as they come out. Paige especially receives a tremendous ovation.As the match starts, Summer Rae and Natalya square off. After some not so great action involving other divas and Summer Rae, things get going as Paige takes out both members of Team Bad outside the ring.
Charlotte comes to aid but Becky Lynch cuts her off. In a short while, Charlotte taps out to Natalya after she locks on the Sharpshooter. The babyfaces celebrate to end the segment.
The Vaudevillians def. The Usos via pinfall
The Vaudevillains took on The Usos to determine who will face Enzo and Cass at the finals of the tag team tournament. The match was short lived and felt rushed. There was some high flying maneuvers by Usos but the match itself was not that great.
Jey Uso hurt his injured shoulder (courtersy of Doc and Karl from last week) again when he took out Simon Gotch outside the ring. Aiden English took advantage of the injury by pushing Jey shoulder burst into the steel post.
The Vaudevillains finished the match with their terrible finisher, The Whirling Dervish, and advanced to the finals. They will take on Enzo and Cass for the #1 Contender Spot.
Apollo Crews def. Heath Slater with Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel
Apollo Crews squared off against Health Slater with stipulation that if he loses he will join the Social Outcasts. Heath Slater was in control of the bout for a few minutes before Apollo dominated his way to victory.
Another dominating win for Crews as he breezes past Heath Slater.
Another promo of Primo and Epico was aired.
Dean Ambrose def. Kevin Owens via pinfall
A great main event to end a great show.
Ambrose and Owens rekindled their rivalry once more as they squared off against each other in the main event. Owens dominated most of the match and his compelling heel antics added more value to the match.
The in-ring work was excellent as there were numerous near falls and high moments to excite the audience and the audience loved every bit of it. From Owens frog splashing Ambrose outside the ring to Ambrose being superflexed from the top rope, everything drew the audience in.
After a long back and forth match, Ambrose delivered the the Dirty Deeds to pick up a pinfall victory over Owens and gain momentum. But unfortunately for Ambrose, Jericho had other plans. Jericho delivered a codebreaker out of nowhere to close the show.
