Acero’s WWE RAW Review 4.19.21

Keep Refreshing For The Latest WWE Raw Results

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BE SURE TO CHECK OUT WEEK ONE OF THE Rs! They’re Back, Bay-Bee!!!!

The 3 Rs!

Coming soon….

It’s Monday…you know what that means.

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We start the show with Drew McIntyre, who goes over the idea of opportunity, covers last week’s RAW, then talks about Mace and T-Bar, saying MVP is obviously behind this all.

MVP comes out, says Drew tends to not expect a lot of things. He wasn’t expecting Lashley to lose, or T-Bar and Mace to attack him last week. MVP knows it’s a cliché, but Drew should start expecting the unexpected, then congratulates Drew on his victory. Lashley can’t wait to beat Drew.

Drew wonders if MVP is really going to say he had nothing to do with last week’s attack.

MVP says Bobby is the boss; he makes the decision, and he decided to downsize The Hurt Business. Why would they recruit when Lashley has proven that they can beat him by himself.

MVP says one more time that Mace and T-Bar have zero affiliation with The Hurt Business.
He says Drew walked into the locker room a few weeks ago, challenging everyone to a fight.

Drew says maybe MVP is telling the truth; this is all just a huge coincidence. Maybe MVP and Drew can talk thi—

NOPE! Here comes Mace and T-Bar to grab Drew and send him into the ring and hit another double chokeslam. They then walk right past MVP to the back.

Backstage, Ol Two Names ask Mace and T-Bar if they are affiliated with MVP. They then list a bunch of extinct animals.

BACK FROM THE BREAK, Drew hits to Pearce, asking for a match against T-Bar and Mace. Pearce says he needs a tag team partner. Drew says he doesn’t need anything, and to make the match happen or he will regret it.

IN THE RING, Shelton and Cedric want some payback.

Match 1: The Viking Raiders vs Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander
Shelton and erik to start. Erik gets Shelton into the corner, but Shelton with a waist lock. He deadlifts and slams, tags Cedric in, Shelton slams again, then Cedric hits a dropkick. Cedric covers but can’t get a 1. Another attempt. Cedric sends Erik into the corner. He hits. Right, another, kick to the face. Cedric backs up. I receive an Amazon package and run to try and catch the elusive delivery man. Shelton and Ivar are in the ring. Shelton with knees in the corner. He drags Ivar over and tags in Cedric, who comes in to mush Erik in the corner. Tag to Shelton. Right hands to Ivar. Ivar escapes the onslaught, reaches for a tag, but Shelton hops onto his foot and hooks it, pulling hardd but Ivar is struggling. Shelton with the Ankle Lock!!! Ivar rolls Shelton forward, Shelton turns, roll into a tag and Erik in with a block, kick, right forearm, scream. Shelton lifts Erik and slams him down with a suplex and a cover for 1..NO! Tag to Cedric. Cedric hits the ropes, rushes the corner with a elbow, locks the haed, tornado DDT! Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Ivar breaks it up!

Erik flips Cedric over, hits a hard knee to the face! Ivar in. Viking Express! Cover for 1..2…3!!!

Winner: The Viking Raiders
I enjoyed this far better than last week, but also didn’t need to see the match again. It’s a shame that rather than allowing both of these teams to be viable contenders, they’ve sacrificed one for the other.
Total Rating: **
Match Time: 5:22

ORTON is backstage, and is asked if The Fiend is anymore. Orton says he will never be seen or heard from as long as Orton is still around. Orton says The Fiend is in his rearview. He is waiting for the winner of Drew vs Lashley, because that person will have a target on their back.

In comes Riddle, scoot scooting around in a circle with Orton in the middle. Riddle says he has always wanted to meet an Apex Predator. What does that even mean? He is thinking he and Orton can team up and call themselves RKBRO. He wants to get Orton his own scooter. Orton walks away without a word as Riddle considers fangs to pimp out Orton’s scooter.

ORTON HEADS TO PEARCE, saying he is sick and tired of the disrespect. Who is the blonde kid that doesn’t wear shoes? He wants that guy, whoever he is, in the ring tonight.

Recap of the oh so totally different Charlotte comes on, then we go to break.

BACK FROM BREAK, and Charlotte is in the middle of the ring talking about respect, especially after all she’s been given to this industry. She came back unapologetically her; the biggest star in this division, and if any of the rats in the locker room, who were they still talking about at Mania, and she din’t even have a match? She calls all the girls fake in the back, and she doesn’t get why they’re mad at her. She had a match taken from her. At Mania. So what? Big deal? Rhea beat Asuka. She can beat both of them. She claims that we all call her The Opportunity. We don’t.

Asuka is ready. She comes down with a mic. Before Asuka can say a word, the NEW RAW Women’s Champion is here! Charlotte offers her a seat ringside for the match. Rhea says she will take her up on that offer, but knowing Asuka, she’s likely going to beat Charlotte.

Charlotte laughs this off, then turns to Asuka and speaks to Asuka like she doesn’t know English. ASuka keeps trying to talk, but Charlotte keeps cutting her off. Asuka calls her a bitch.

Level 3 of Women’s Feud, Engage.

BACKSTAGE, Orton is walking while Riddle scoots past him with a smile. Orton has turned into the old man who owns a land he doesn’t want Riddle to scoot on, and I’m all for it.

Later tonight, Drew will take on T-Bar and Mace.

Match 2: Randy Orton vs Matt Riddle
Riddle with a go behind, Orton grabs the ropes to break the hold. Side headlock takedown to Riddle. Riddle backs Orton into the ropes, locks the head. Orton with a right, a knee to Riddle, locks the head, suplex, float over from Riddle, into a sleeper! Orton reaches for the ropes, but Riddle wraps the leg around his leg. Orton grabs the hair of Riddle and flips him forward. Both men up, circle the ring, go behind from Riddle, and he locks the Sleeper on again!! Orton backs Riddle into the corner. Riddle falls off. HE JUMPS BACK ON FOR THE THIRD TIME!!! Orton is fading! Orton drops on Riddle, falling back onto the mat! Riddle to the outside. Orton follows. Back suplex onto the table as we go to break!

WE ARE BACK, and Orton has the head locked up. He hooks and hits a suplex. Riddle is up. Chop, slap, chop, Orton with a huge uppercut. Orton sends Riddle into the corner. He chops Riddle across the chest. Another. Another. Riddle chops back, again, right hand to the face, Riddle with a chop! Over and over! He beats orton down in the corner, whips Orton, Orton reverses, and Riddle hits the buckle chest first. Orton with a cravat on the mat. Riddle turns into the hold. Riddle with a pele kick to Orton’s face. Riddle kips up. He freaks out in the corner. Riddle with a huge punch in the corner, another running elbow. Orton back elbows the head after orton grabs him. Orton with a right to the head! Riddle hits the corner, Orton stops him during the climb. Orton locks the head. Riddle escapes, drops Riddle. He looks for the RKO.

But Riddle with a crucifix pin out of nowhere! Pin for 1..2…3!!!

Winner: Matt Riddle
Hard-hitting, motivated Orton, and Riddle matching the energy was enough to get this thing going, and keep it strong. Orton was definitely the general here, almost to a fault as you could hear some of the calls. Still, a solid affair with a surprise win to assure that they have not forgotten about the Riddle push.
Total Rating: ***1/2
Match Time: 13:35

BACKSTAGE, Sheamus walks into Pearce’s office. Pearce wants to congratulate him. He wants Sheamus to think of the idea of open challenges. Sheamus says he is not John Cena. He doesn’t care about the past. Sheamus says he’ll have an open challenge, but it wont be for the title.

Ok…

Match 3: Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler vs Naomi and Lana
Naomi and Lana try to double team Nia, knocking her off her feet after some time. Lana tags, hits a kick to Nai, tag to Naomi, leg drop to Nia. Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Tag to Lana and her and Naomi go in for a suplex, but Nia is able to reverse…sort of. She can’t quite lift Naomi, and although she doesn’t almost injure her, she does do it sloppily. Tag to Shayna, who comes in and gets rolled up by Lana. 1..2..NO!!! Shayna knocks Naomi off the paron, she grabs the wrist of Lana, bends her down to the mat, looks to stomp the elbow. Lana screams please and Shayna stomps the hand hard. Lana sells it like she’s dying as the music of Mandy and Dana hit

Mandy says she hates to interrupt, but they want to show Nia something. We get the recap of Mandy slapping Nia in the face and Dana joining in on the attack. They then show Nia slipping off the apron, which I completely forgot.

WHILE THIS IS HAPPENING…Shayna reaches for a tag, but Nia heads up the ramp to chase the blondes away. Lana reaches for the tag, gets Naomi, kick to Shayna, double X-Factor. Cover for 1..2….3!!!!

Winners: Lana and Naomi
Not saying that Mandy and Dana have come off as any type of real clear “face,” but with no care whatsoever of the match at hand, and the idiotic recap of something we all know that happened, it came off as horribly misplaced and just…made everyone look either bad or stupid or both.
Total Rating: ½*
Match Time: 4:14

Nia stands at the top of the ramp in shock. Sheer and utter shock…

Bad Bunny got an interview after Mania about respect and comes off great. He’s with Priest, which I assume this is really for.

WE RETURN to The Miz and Maryse in the ring for MizTV. He congratulates himself on making Bad Bunny a household name. Maryse thanks us for wathing her show, then congratulates the most awesome man in her life. They flirt with one another, telling each other how much they love each other. Miz say they are anything but ordinary, and they deserve a special celebration. Tonight is their night. They kiss. Fireworks go off.

Last week was great; this week will be better.

This is interrupted by Damian Priest.

Priest wants to speak for everyone when he says that Miz is as delusional as Jake Paul thinking he is a real fighter. Let’s not forget how miz won last week. Priest says to him, this man lost with his pants ripped off, and everyone saw that he had no balls. He can also translate with his fists.

Maryse drops some French on him, saying if Priest wants a match with Miz tonight, he’s got it.

Priest grabs the champagne, takes a swig, and congratulates Miz. He calls the bubbly trash, so Miz tosses it in his face.

BACKSTAGE, Kofi and Woods are choppin it up. In comes Riddle. Kofi is so proud of him, saying WOW, I HATE THAT GUY with regards to Orton. Lol.

Kofi has an instrument case. Riddle has some ideas for what he can put in there. The punchline is “Silver Dollar Pancakes.”

ELIAS is in the ring, trying to strum his guitar, but Woods is on the stage with a bass. He’s slappin it while Kofi dances. The New Day entrance hits, and they make their way downtown.

Match 4: Elias vs Kofi Kingston
Elias, as soon as the bell rings, drops Kofi hard! Co er for 1..2…NO!!!! Elias with a suplex and a cover for 1..2…NO!!!! Woods plays the bass again, distracting Kofi. Kofi stomps the mudhole in Elias as Woods plays Austin’s entrance music. Woods hits the ropes, Elias lifts Kofi up and drops him chest first onto the top rope. Elias locks the head of Kofi, gets a delayed suplex. Elias with the stomps now. He rushes the corner with a knee to the face. Elias turns Kofi on the paor,n lifts him up and slams him back down hard, chest first. Elias lifts Kofi by the arm, sends him up and over, then slams his ass down. Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Elias works the arm, Kofi turns into it. Hits a right hand, Elias sends him into the corner, Kofi swings t hrough and kicks, heads to the top rope and flies with a frog splash. Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Kofi kicks, kicks, hits the ropes, Elias catches him,Kofi slips down for a Sunset Flip, Elias rolls though, Kofi goes for an SOS, struggles, hits it. Cover for 1..2…NO!!! Elias in the corner. Elias to the top rope. Kofi rushes the corner with a right hand. He climbs up, locks the head, Elias punches him down.

Kofi rushes, hops up, can’t hit a rana, as Elias shrugs him off then flies off the top with an elbow drop. 1..2….3!!!!

Winner: Elias
By far, one of the best Elias matches out there. Kofi sold like hell for him, and Elias pulled out a performance I haven’t seen from him in months. I find one of his largest issues is just how inconsistent he is. This wasa better than it needed to be. Not bad.
Total Rating: ***
Match Time: 4:43

ALEXA is here. We get some old photos of Alexa with her new doll photoshopped in. Alexa says there was once this little girl being mean to her, as they have fought over ice cream. Alexa warns the roster that her doll doesn’t like any of them.

Backstage, Dana and Mandy are talking about bullying. They aren’t the bullies. Ok, yes, Mandy slipped. Nia enters, Shayna tells her to get her head in the game.

Whoa…I completely tuned out.

Match 5: Drew McIntyre and Braun Strowman vs Mace and T-Bar

Drew and T-Bar to start. Drew tangles up T-Bar. My feed takes a complete dump. At this exact moment, and comes back to T-Bar and Mace standing at the top of the ramp with her mask off.

Winner: Mace and T-Bar via DQ

Total Rating: NR
Match Time: NT

Match 6: The Miz vs Damian Priest
Miz gets himself a kiss before the match, then Priest pulls him over the top rope the hard way – with a suplex. Priest drops Miz, then heads to the corner. Miz hits the ropes and kicks Priest to the outside. Miz to the outside. He grabs Priest, sends him back into the ring. He heads up the steps and enters the ring, mounting Priest with punches. Miz locks up from behind with a chinlock. Priest turns into it with right hands.Miz whips and clotheslines the back of the head. Miz is up first. Miz with the kicks. Priest eats them. He stands, hits a hard kick of his own. A kick. Another. Another kick. Priest in the corner. He calls his shot, shoots the invisible arrow at Maryse! Miz sends Priest to the ropes, Priest hops off the ropes onto Miz. Priest stands. Calls for the end.

Blocks a punch, hits a right of his own. Priest with the finisher! Cover for 1..2…3!!!!!

Winner: Damien Priest
Another win for Priest to give him a push and revenge from last week.
Total Rating: NR
Match Time: NT

WE RETURN TO THE SHOW, and Sheamus is in the ring. People are asking him how he did it?

Match 8: Charlotte Flair vs Asuka
ASuka on the attack. She shoves Charlotte in the middle of the ring. Rhea sits on the bottom of the stage. Asuk backs Charlotte up against the ropes. Charlotte kicks her then drags her to the apron. We head to break as they fall down in front of Rhea.

We are back and, y’all, I’m sorry, the feed has gone bad completely.

Winner:

Total Rating:
Match Time:

Charlotte attacks a referee after the match, beating him on his head over nad over. Other refs scream for her to stop, but she won’t. Charlotte acts as if shes gone completely mad as we end the show.

End Show

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

A fair assessment tonight will be pretty difficult since the final hour of the show was spotty, at best, over here. Everything was scattered or a stop/start to the point where I feel like any rating would be genuinely flawed and/or unfair. What I did see, though, was an evenly mixed bag of good stuff, horrible stuff, and stuff that could be something but likely won't. For instance, I loved Riddle vs Orton. Loved Orton acting as if he had no clue who Riddle was, playing the old man to perfection. Riddle's backstage segments leave so much to be desired, but his in-ring work is stellar. Special praise goes to Elias and Kofi. Kofi sold like hell for Elias, and Elias put an extra pep in his step this week after the firings, it appears. Elias on the bass was kinda cool, too. As for the bad, literally ANYTHING that had to do with Nia is just horrible, and everyone around her is pretty bad, too. I'm sure Shayna and Nia are best of friends behind the scenes, but I care jack and shit about that with regards to the on screen content, because it's still all so...bad. Asuka and Charlotte may appeal to the office, but they are going to burn that candle from both ends really really quickly, and Charlotte, as a character, is just so...flat, boring, and uninspired. Basically, there is no women's division story I am interested in at all, and beating on a ref will NOT make me care.