Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 4.01.19

Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 4.01.19

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Natalya, Beth Phoenix, Bayley, & Sasha Banks defeated Tamina, Nia Jax, Billie Kay, & Peyton Royce @ 11:20 via pin [**½]
– Apollo Crews defeated Jinder Mahal @ 1:40 via pin [NR]
– Raw Tag Title Match: Champions the Revival defeated Ricochet & Aleister Black @ 12:00 via countout [***½]
– Charlotte, Becky Lynch, & Ronda Rousey defeated Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, & Sarah Logan @ 7:25 via submission [*½]
– Heavy Machinery defeated Bobby Roode & Chad Gable @ 2:59 via pin [NR]
– Braun defeated Two Geeks @ 2:55 via pin [NR]
– Baron Corbin defeated Rey Mysterio @ 13:45 via pin [**]

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Stephanie McMahon Talks: Stephanie hypes Mania, and teases adding herself to the main event. She praises the women getting to main event and says that in the match, all titles will be on the line in a winner takes all match. Thankfully short and to the point for once, you don’t need 20-minutes for an announcement, and I am glad they realized that.

Paul Talks & Brock Hops: Of course we transition into another talking segment, as Heyman introduces himself as says Brock will win on Sunday. He’ll take all Rollins has to offer, and everything he has in life. Heyman runs down all Brock has taken at Mania over the years, and it will be Rollins’ final match as Brock ends his career. Heyman says Rollins is nothing more than an after though. Rollins arrives, and says it’s the biggest match of his career. Nobody wants Brock here, because they are all sick of him. Rollins puts over Brock, and then says him beating him is not impossible. He will beat Brock and there’s nothing Brock can do about him. Rollins attacks but gets Germaned. But Rollins hits a low blow and superkick. The curb stomp follows and Rollins stands tall. This came off extremely well with the crowd super hot for Rollins getting one up on Brock.

– Rollins comments on his actions, saying Brock had it coming.

Tamina, Nia Jax, Billie Kay, & Peyton Royce vs. Natalya, Beth Phoenix, Bayley, & Sasha Banks: Royce and Banks begin. They lock up, and Royce lays in knee strikes. Banks fires back and slips on the lucha arm drag. Bayley tags in and they follow with double teams. Kay tags in and Banks takes her down, Natalya tags in and follows with a suplex for 2. She and Beth follow with double teams, Royce makes the save and it breaks down. Post break and Bayley works over Kay. Royce makes the save and Bayley gets sent to the floor. Quick tags follow, and after double teams Kay covers for 2. Royce chokes out Bayley, but Tamina &Jax refuse to tag in. Bayley dumps Kay, fights back and Beth shoves Banks and tags in. She runs wild, hits a powerslam but Tamina cuts her off. Beth then spears her through the barricade. Royce rolls Beth back in, and Beth hits the glam slam for the win. Natalya, Beth Phoenix, Bayley, & Sasha Banks defeated Tamina, Nia Jax, Billie Kay, & Peyton Royce @ 11:20 via pin [**½] This was a solid match to hype the women’s tag title match on Sunday. Beth looked good.

– Batista arrives.

Batista Talks: Batista arrives for some promo time. He’s over big time in his hometown. He points to the screen for a Triple H vs. Batista video package, reminding us that he’s owned Triple H over the years. Batista says Hunter can kiss his ass and leaves. Big Dave. Legend.

– Elias is back in NYC, hyping his Mania performance.

Apollo Crews vs. Jinder Mahal: Andre Battle Royal geeks surround the ring, we can all see what’s coming. Mahal takes control, grounding Crews. Crews battles out and escapes, follows with clotheslines, and hits the frog splash for the win. Apollo Crews defeated Jinder Mahal @ 1:40 via pin [NR] This was thankfully short with the predictable go home hype the battle royal post match brawl.

– All of the geeks brawl post match to hype the Andre; Crews stands tall.

Kurt Angle’s Raw Farewell: Angle makes his way to the ring. He thanks the fans, and we take a look back at his career via video package. WWE, as always, killed it with the video package. It was just fucking great. Corbin arrives and runs down Angle, and says the man in the video is not the man in the ring. This man can’t go, gets tired, and can’t hang with the stars of today. Corbin is upset due to fans not thinking he’s not good enough to be Angle’s final opponent. He promises that angle will be broken and flat on his back at Mania. Angle proposes that they have an exhibition match right now and Corbin declines to acquiesce to his request. Rey Mysterio arrives and wants to teach Corbin a lesson in respect. Corbin attacks Rey, but Angle makes the save and hits the Angle slam to stand tall.

– Charlotte is interviewed, but she’s not concerned about the Mania stipulation. She’ll break Becky’s leg and beat Ronda and take it all.

Champions the Revival vs. Ricochet & Aleister Black: Black & Dawson begin. They lock up and work to the ropes. Black works a side headlock, Dawson escapes and follows with a back elbow. Dash tags in and follows with chops and uppercuts. Black trips him up and scores with a cradle for 2. Ricochet tags in, but he gets cut off and the champions look to ground him. Ricochet tries to make his way for a tag, hits the double RANA and tags in Black. They take control and cover Dawson for 2. Dawson cuts off Black, stunning him off the ropes and sending him to the floor. Post break and Dawson hits the northern lights suplex for 2. He then grounds things, attacking the arm of Black. Black escapes, counters out and fights for the tag. He gets it, and Ricochet tags in and runs wild and picks up near falls off of various cradles. Dawson cuts him off and Dash hits the Gory bomb for 2. Black cuts off the tag attempt, but Dash hits him with a tornado DDT on the floor. Ricochet hits a wild over the post tope and wipes out the champions. Dawson hides under the ring and grabs Ricochet, leading to the champions winning via countout. Champions the Revival defeated Ricochet & Aleister Black @ 12:00 via countout [***½] This was a very good and tremendously fun tag match, with a creative finish that allowed for Ricochet & Black to avoid the pin.

– Post match, the challengers say fuck the Revival and lay out the champions with Black Mass & the 630.

– Ronda flails her arms around, doing something she thinks is good shadow boxing; it’s not. She should stop immediately.

– Bliss talks with Breeze & EC3, hyping Mania. Braun arrives and gets pissed at some geeks watching weekend update. One is black and one is white so Braun is pretending they are the SNL guys and challenges them to a match.

– Roman is interviewed about his Mania match with Drew. Dasha asks him if he’s 100% for Mania. He says he’s 100%… or he was until Drew rushed in and kicked his ass.

Charlotte, Becky Lynch, & Ronda Rousey vs. Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, & Sarah Logan: Charlotte and Ruby begin. Charlotte lays in chops, chokes her out and Becky tags herself in. Ruby hits a shoulder tackle, but Becky fires back and the Squad powders. Post break and Logan has Becky grounded. Becky fires back, and dumps Logan. Ruby & Logan work quick tags and take control back. Liv in and Becky fires up and hits the XPLODER for 2. Charlotte tags herself in and then Rousey tags in. They argue and Ronda arm bars Liv and she taps. Charlotte, Becky Lynch, & Ronda Rousey defeated Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, & Sarah Logan @ 7:25 via submission [*½] This was a nothing of a match, but the post match was quite good.

– Charlotte, Becky, & Ronda brawl post match until security arrives. They fight off security, and police arrive. Becky attacks a handcuffed Rousey, and she gets cuffed. Charlotte then attacks Rousey and gets cuffed. They put Ronda & Becky in the same car and they kick fight and break the window. These guys need to watch Live PD.

Heavy Machinery vs. Bobby Roode & Chad Gable: Gable and Otis begin. Otis cuts him off, Tucker in and they work double teams. Gable battle back with a suplex, Roode tags in and covers for 2. LACEY BOMB. Roode keeps working over Tucker, but Tucker tags in Otis and he runs wild. The caterpillar follows. The compactor finishes it. Heavy Machinery defeated Bobby Roode & Chad Gable @ 2:59 via pin [NR] There was really nothing to this, but was ok for the time given.

Braun vs. Two Geeks: Braun kills the geeks and tosses them over the top and to the floor. Braun then runs them over on the floor, and does it again. Back in and more Braun smash and powerslams follows. He powerslams them both at the same time and wins. Braun defeated Two Geeks @ 2:55 via pin [NR] Braun Smash.

– Lashley & Lio arrive. Charly interviews Lashley about Sunday’s match vs. Balor. Lio says Lashley isn’t concerned, and calls Balor a fluke. On Sunday, Lashley will bat Balor and move onto his after party. Lashley isn’t concerned about the demon, they are one in the same, and he dominates Balor. Balor appears on the screen, we get special effects and the demon appears. So he’ll bring out the demon for the IC Title & Lashley but not for Brock & the Universal title?

Baron Corbin vs. Rey Mysterio: This is really a match that neither man should lose. Rey uses his speed and lays in strikes, he follows with kicks and takes Corbin to the floor. Back in and Rey RANAs him to the floor for a rough landing. Corbin then cuts off the dive. Post break and Corbin is in control, beating Rey down on the floor. Back in and Corbin takes him up top and attacks the mask. Rey escapes, but lands awkwardly and Corbin attacks the legs. They brawl o the floor and Corbin slams him to the barricade. Back in and Rey is favoring his ankle. Corbin tries to attack, but Rey fires back with kicks, but runs into a flapjack. Corbin tosses him to the floor, and follows with a clothesline. He looks for the countout, and then posts Rey. Back in and Corbin looks for a slam, but Rey gets the sleeper. Corbin escapes, misses a charge and Rey follow with a RANA. The DDT follows and that gets 2. Rey hits an enziguri and 619. He heads up top and the frog slash misses. Rey fights off the powerbomb, but runs into deep six and Corbin wins. Baron Corbin defeated Rey Mysterio @ 13:45 via pin [**] It was a bad idea to book this match, because while Corbin needed the win, neither were in position to lose heading into Mania. Plus, if Rey got hurt for real, this could hurt the Mania card. The match was ok.

– Angle attacks and ankle locks Corbin post match.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 8. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka is joined by Steven Jefferson Douglas Cook. The guys will discuss the possibility of Smackdown going to three hours, thoughts on Scarlett’s Debut & Allie’s Death on Impact, and then break down WrestleMania 35. The show is approximately 85 minutes long

* Intro
* Smackdown to Three Hours?: 5:35
* Impact Thoughts on Scarlett’s Debut & Allie’s Death: 17:15
* WrestleMania 35 Preview: 26:40

You can subscribe and listen to the 411 on Wrestling Podcast via the
above player on Transistor, or on the following platforms:

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6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

While not a home run, this week’s Raw was a solid show and better than most weeks and actually felt like a go home effort with almost every segment focused on building Mania in some way. Not all of it landed big, but it was solid.