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Seth Rollins kicked off RAW and invited Cody Rhodes to join him in the ring. Rollins told Rhodes that he spent so much time trying to make it in WWE but all he needed was one match with The Architect to put his name on the map.
Rollins said that he was questioning his abilities after losing to Rhodes at WrestleMania and was struggling with the fact that the latter may be better than him. Rollins challenged Rhodes to a match against a mystery opponent of The Architect's choosing.
Cody Rhodes agreed to the match and secured his spot in tonight's main event before RAW moved on.
WWE RAW Results (April 18th, 2022): Sasha Banks & Naomi (c) vs. Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley - Women's Tag Team Championship match
Rhea Ripley and Sasha Banks kicked off the match and Banks was isolated in the ring early on. Liv Morgan was in the ring and Banks managed to tag Naomi in for a big double team move followed by a crossbody for a near fall.
Banks was dragged outside by Ripley, who hit her with a Riptide on the barricades. Ripley got a facebuster off a botched double-team move before Morgan hit a powerbomb on Naomi.
Rhea Ripley followed up with the Riptide but Sasha Banks broke up the pin. Banks and Naomi got their double-team finisher on Ripley before Naomi hit the full nelson and The Boss got the jackknife cover for the win.
Result: Sasha Banks & Naomi def. Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley to retain the Women's Tag Team Championships
After the match, Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley were having an argument over whose fault caused them the loss. Morgan was about to walk out but Ripley attacked her from behind and unloaded on her on the mat before hitting the Riptide.
Grade: B
Sonya Deville was out next on RAW and said that she was forced to take up the WWE official spot in hopes of someday making her return to wrestling. She felt that this was her big opportunity and wanted to face Bianca Belair, who she claimed was the best, for the RAW Women's title.
Belair walked out and Deville taunted her and got in her face before the former lifted her into the KOD position. Deville threatened to fire Belair before she let the WWE official down in the ring and walked out.
Veer Mahaan vs. Jeff Brooks on RAW
Veer Mahaan was back after sending Dominik to the hospital last week and his opponent was a local competitor. Mahaan was tossing Jeff Brooks around the ring early on before hitting a tackle and a huge Million Dollar Arm lariat. Mahaan locked in the cervical clutch and picked up the win.
Result: Veer Mahaan def. Jeff Brooks
Mahaan refused to let go of the hold after the bell was run and a group of officials had to separate the two.
Grade: C
Backstage on RAW, Sonya Deville asked Adam Pearce if he planned to fine Bianca Belair for attacking her. Pearce revealed that he had indeed fined Belair, but it was a fine of only one dollar.
Deville was furious and blamed Pearce for misusing his powers before the latter told her that her conduct as a WWE official was being investigated by the upper management.
Kevin Owens was out next and brought Chad Gable with him to conduct the lie detector test on Ezekiel. Ezekiel joined them in the ring before the test started. Gable asked him some baseline questions before going for the big one, asking if his name was really Ezekiel.
Gable confirmed that Ezekiel was telling the truth when he said that he was indeed Elias' brother and Owens was freaking out.
KO kicked Gable out of the ring before Ezekiel said that he was sick of being called a liar before Owens walked out like last week, but this time Chad Gable came in and attacked Elias' brother from behind.
Ezekiel vs. Chad Gable on RAW
The match began during the commercials and we returned to see Ezekiel in control in the ring. The match went outside early on and Gable took a big suplex on the steel steps.
Back in the ring, Gable went for a moonsault but was met with a kick from Ezekiel. Ezekiel got a spinebuster and locked in a hold but Otis came in and attacked him, ending the match in a DQ.
Result: Ezekiel def. Chad Gable via DQ
Grade: C
RK-Bro vs. The Street Profits on RAW
Randy Orton and Angelo Dawkins kicked off the match and The Viper got some big moves in early on. Riddle came in with a dive and got a near fall before Montez Ford snuck in the tag and took him down with a tackle.
Riddle met Ford on the ropes and managed to drop him on the mat before we headed for a break. Back on RAW, Riddle and Orton got tandem draping DDTs before The Original Bro tagged back in to finish the match.
The Usos' entrance music started playing and it distracted RK-Bro, letting Montez kick Orton off the apron before the Profits got their double team finisher on Riddle for the win.
Result: The Street Profits def. RK-Bro
Grade: B
Edge and Damian Priest were out next and cut a promo about the business and the fans having no respect for superstars like them who put in the hard work. Edge said that he wanted to ruin AJ Styles' life before RAW continued.
AJ Styles was in a backstage interview and the lights went out. The blue/purple lights turned on after a few seconds and we saw Edge and Priest attack Styles and take him out in the confusion.
Finn Balor (c) vs. Theory - United States Championship match on RAW
Finn Balor got some big moves in early on but Theory managed to take him down for a near fall before locking in a headlock. He hit a big neckbreaker off the apron before we headed for a break.
Back on RAW, Balor was back in control and got a stomp before getting a DDT and a powerbomb off a counter for a near fall. Theory got a top rope Spanish Fly before he was sent outside for a big dive from Balor.
Back in the ring, Theory dodged the Coupe de Grace before getting the A-Trown Down for the win.
Result: Theory def. Finn Balor to become the new United States Champion
After the match, a bunch of superstars including Alpha Academy, The Hurt Business, Azeez, and others joined Theory in his title celebration. Vince McMahon walked out as well and Theory walked up to take a selfie with his new title.
Grade: B+
It was time for the double wedding, or rather 'commitment ceremony' hosted by R-Truth. Akira Tozawa and Reggie were in the ring with Truth before Tamina and Dana Brooke joined them.
The vows were being read and Tamina and Tozawa decided to just go with whatever vows the other couple had by saying 'what they said'.
Truth went through with the rest of the ceremony and Reggie was about to kiss his bride but pinned Brooke instead. Tamina went after Reggie and wiped him out before picking up the title.
Tozawa snuck up behind Tamina and pinned her before Brooke came back and pinned Tozawa, taking back her title. Brooke ran backstage with R-Truth before RAW continued.
MVP was backstage and he told Bobby Lashley that The All Mighty made a big mistake by refusing to share the limelight with him. He challenged Lashley to an arm-wrestling match on behalf of Omos. Lashley accepted the challenge for next week as RAW continued.
Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens on RAW
Seth Rollins' special opponent for Cody Rhodes was his best friend Kevin Owens. KO had control of the match early on but was sent outside. Owens countered a dive through the ropes before dropping Rhodes on the barricades before we headed for another break.
Back on RAW, Owens got a big suplex before Rhodes countered the second one. KO got a DDT but his following senton was met with Rhodes' knees. Cody Rhodes tackled Kevin Owens over the announce desk before Rollins walked out to watch the match.
Back on RAW after another break, Rhodes kicked out of a frogsplash and a senton before getting a massive lariat. Owens got the pop-up powerbomb for a near fall before he was tossed outside after getting a superplex in.
Rollins was taunting Owens, telling him to get back in the ring and calling him fat. KO got annoyed and left the match, letting Rhodes pick up the win via count-out. After the match, Cody Rhodes was on the ropes celebrating when Seth Rollins came in and dropped him outside as RAW went off the air.
Result: Cody Rhodes def. Kevin Owens via count-out
Grade: B+
Episode grade: B
We got a big main event match between KO and Cody Rhodes on RAW tonight while Theory picked up the United States title. Edge and Damian Priest attacked AJ Styles backstage while Bianca Belair was fined for attacking a WWE official on RAW.
