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Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 4.22.19
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Csonka’s WWE Raw Review 4.22.19
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– #1 Contender’s Qualifier Match: AJ Styles defeated Rey Mysterio & Samoa Joe @ 16:55 via pin [***½]
– Naomi defeated Billie Kay @ 1:20 via pin [NR]
– #1 Contender’s Qualifier Match: Baron Corbin defeated Miz & Drew McIntyre @ 15:06 via pin [***]
– Cesaro defeated Cedric Alexander @ 6:35 via pin [***]
– Non-Title Match: Champion Becky Lynch defeated Alicia Fox @ 8:10 via submission [DUD]
– Robert Roode’s Glorious Mustache defeated Ricochet @ 11:15 via pin [**]
– #1 Contender’s Match: AJ Styles defeated Baron Corbin @ 13:05 via pin [**½]
– Follow all of my reviews at this link.
Triple H Talks: Triple H arrives and is followed by Seth Rollins. Rollins says that this is all surreal; especially after all he’s been through with Triple H. They shake hands, and Rollins says he slayed the beast and brought the title home. Triple H says Rollins went from King Slayer to Beast Slayer. Triple H says now things have changed, there are new faces on Raw, and Rollins is now the hunted. Rollins says he knows MITB is coming up, and he’s cashed in and been cashed in on, so he understands. Tonight there will be two triple threat matches (AJ Styles vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Samoa Joe & Miz vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Baron Corbin) with the winners facing off tonight, and the winner of that facing Rollins at MITB. Samoa Joe arrives, and says he has room for another championship on his shoulders. Rey Mysterio arrives and it’s the old revolving door segment. Rey says after tonight, he’ll be the one challenging Rollins. McIntyre arrives, claiming it’s his time and that he will go on to beat Rollins. Miz arrives, noting that he’s a changed man and Rollins has what he wants. Fucking Corbin arrives, and finally Styles. They all make their case and Rollins is fine with any challenger. This started off well with Triple H & Seth and a really hot crowd, and then broke into I WANT THE BELT I WANT THE BELT I WANT THE BELT I WANT THE BELT I WANT THE BELT I WANT THE BELT I WANT THE BELT I WANT THE BELT I WANT THE BELT I WANT THE BELT I WANT THE BELT. It was fine, but rather cliché.
#1 Contender’s Qualifier Match: AJ Styles vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Samoa Joe: Joe gets sent to the floor, and Styles takes early control, working over Rey and picking up near falls. He teases the clash and Rey powders. Styles follows, attacking Joe and rolling Rey back in. Rey counters the clash into a RANA but Joe makes the save. Joe takes control, dumping Rey and hitting the STJoe on Styles for 2. Post break and Rey is laying in strikes on Joe, but gets caught with the snap slam for 2. Joe and Styles trade strikes, enziguri by Styles and Rey breaks up the pin. Rey hits Styles with a bulldog, trips up Joe, and Joe powders before the 619. Rey follows with a tornillo, and back in, heads up top but Styles stops that and follows him up. Joe joins in and superplexes both off and all three are down. Post break and Styles levels Rey with a lariat and Joe then decapitates Styles with one for 2. Rey fires up, hits the crucifix bomb on Joe, but Styles makes the save. Rey then hits a tornado DDT on Joe, but Joe counters 619 with the choke. Styles flies in, counters the choke and hits a PELE. RANA by Rey, the 619 connects on Joe and he flies in, but Styles powerbombs him and then powerbombs him on Joe and finishes it with the clash on Rey onto Joe. AJ Styles defeated Rey Mysterio & Samoa Joe @ 16:55 via pin [***½] This was a very good and tremendously fun opener, with a creative finish.
– The IIconics mock Naomi, noting that Bayley is gone and Naomi has no friends.
Naomi vs. Billie Kay: Peyton Royce is at ringside. Kay attacks with kicks and then grounds things. Naomi fights to her feet, hits kicks and clotheslines and takes out Royce. The sunset flip follows and Naomi wins. Naomi defeated Billie Kay @ 1:20 via pin [NR] This was thankfully short, but did the IIconics no favors as they lost yet again.
– Time for Bray Wyatt’s creepy puppet show.
#1 Contender’s Qualifier Match: Miz vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Baron Corbin: Miz goes for quick pins to begin, and gets surrounded by the heels and beat down on the floor. Back in and Drew lays in chops, Corbin joins in and the double team Miz. Corbin then accidentally hits Drew, dumps Miz and follows by slamming him to the barricade. Drew then takes control, working over Miz in the ring. Corbin cuts him off, but then posts himself. Miz fires up and lays in strikes, follows with kicks and running knee strikes. He follows with a springboard double chop. Miz now lays in kicks, but Drew cuts him off with a head butt. They work up top, Corbin joins in and we get the tower of doom. Post break as Drew & Corbin brawl on the floor. Miz flies off the top and wipes them out. He rolls Dew back in and Drew cuts him off with the reverse Alabama slam for 2. Miz counters the claymore and locks on the figure four. Drew pokes the eyes to escape, Miz dumps him and Corbin waits forever, rolls in and hits deep six for 2. Miz sends Corbin to the steps, and trades near falls with Drew. Miz follows with a DDT for 2. Corbin back in, Miz counters end of days and hits another DDT for 2. Corbin fights off the skull-crushing finale, and Drew hits the claymore, but Corbin dumps him and pins the Miz. Baron Corbin defeated Miz & Drew McIntyre @ 15:06 via pin [***] This was a good match, which was really highlighted by babyface Miz being really good here.
Sami Zayn Talks: Sami claims he’s brave because he has the courage to tell the fans how horrible they are. They claim he’s bitter, but Sami says he’s a happy person, and was the happiest while he was away for 10-months. He shows a vacation slideshow, showing off his adventures. He’s gloriously over the top selling his happiness. He was living the good life, but when he had to come back, depression and anxiety set in. Was it corporate WWE? The egotistic stars? No, it was the fans. The fans refuse to take responsibility, but he holds them accountable. He’d rather be anywhere than in Iowa. He suggests the fans take a trip, to hell. Sami was really good here again, and feels locked into the new heel character.
Cedric Alexander vs. Cesaro: They lock up and Cesaro overpowers Alexander to begin. Alexander works into counters, but Cesaro cuts him off with rights and uppercuts. Alexander fights back with a head scissors and dropkick. Cesaro cuts off the dive, hits a slam and covers for 2. He grounds the action, Alexander fights out and flies, but Cesaro catches him with a back breaker for 2. Cesaro attacks the back with strikes and then grounds things. The big boot follows for 2. The gut wrench suplex follows for 2 again. Alexander fires back, hits he back elbow and follows with dropkicks. Cesaro cuts off the flatliner, but Alexander counters into a Michinoku driver for 2. The back handspring kick follows and Cesaro rolls to the floor and Alexander hits a tope. Back in and Alexander springboards into an uppercut and Cesaro wins. Cesaro defeated Cedric Alexander @ 6:35 via pin [***] This was a good match, but not one I would have booked this week as neither man should have been losing yet. Plus, I feel that it really hurt Alexander coming from 205 Live.
– The Usos talk about running wild on the tag division and taking over. The Revival arrive and call them good hands and tell them this is top guys territory. BOOK IT NOW!
The Viking Experience Raiders vs. Lucha House Party: The Vikings attack and kick the shit out of all three luchas. They hit Thor’s hammer on Dorado and stand tall. No match
– Ryder & Hawkins are interviewed about The Viking Experience Raiders. They know that they are big and bad, but Ryder says they are new and that as the veteran champions, they have the advantage.
– Becky Lynch cuts a prom about the Superstar Shakeup and her next challenger, Lacey Evans. Lynch has made a career of slapping around bleach blondes that have gained the favor of management. Lacey arrives and says she doesn’t understand why Lynch always wants to fight. Lacey says a lady is in complete control of her emotions, doesn’t show off, and will teach “the man” how to respect a lady with a women’s right. Lynch will have none of this shit and says she isn’t content and will dismantle Lacey at MITB.
Champion Becky Lynch vs. Alicia Fox: They lock up and Lynch grounds things. Fox works to get back to her feet, and hits a shoulder tackle. Lynch avoids the dropkick and Fox gets confused in the ropes and heads to the floor. Lynch slams her to the apron, but Fox cuts her off and slams her to the barricade. Back in and Fox covers for 2. Post break and Fox hits a big boot for 2.She grounds the action, Lynch fights out and Fox fucking drops her on a head scissors spot. Back in and Lynch hits a flying forearm, an XPLODER, and another. The disarmher finishes it. Champion Becky Lynch defeated Alicia Fox @ 8:10 via submission [DUD] What a shit show, this was bad, and Fox looked like she had no business being out there. After a decade, she’s fucking horrendous and needs to go away. The crowd was also dead, which didn’t help, plus her getting any sustained offense on Lynch was just a complete joke. This went about 8-minutes too long.
– Post match, Evans lays out Lynch with the women’s right.
Ricochet vs. Robert Roode’s Glorious Mustache: Roode takes early control with strikes, lays in chops but Ricochet picks up the pace and hits a head scissors and dropkick. Ricochet dumps him and then hits the kick flip to the floor. Post break and Roode has Ricochet grounded. Ricochet starts fighting to his feet, but Roode cuts him off with a knee strike. The suplex follows, and Roode covers for 2. The camel clutch follows, and then Ricochet fights back and hits a dropkick. They trade strikes, Ricochet picks up the pace and hits a RANA. The enziguri follows and then the springboard clothesline and running shooting star press gets 2. Ricochet gets a cradle for 2. Roode then answers with a spinebuster for 2. Ricochet counters the DDT, hits benadryller and covers for 2. Ricochet up top and misses the 630, Roode posts him and hits the DDT for the win. Robert Roode’s Glorious Mustache defeated Ricochet @ 11:15 via pin [**] This was an ok but completely flat match, lacking energy and crow investment. It also felt like a really anticlimactic first loss for Ricochet.
– We get a wacky playhouse video with Bray Wyatt. I guess he’s evil Mr. Rogers now. His wacky puppets are there as well. This was a segment that happened.
#1 Contender’s Match: AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin: Styles attacks with rights, and follows with chops. Styles now lands leg kicks, but Corbin cuts him off with rights. Styles hits an enziguri and rights. Corbin cuts off the springboard attack and lays the boots to him. He follows with strikes, grounding Styles. Styles fires back and dumps Corbin, but Corbin trips him up on the apron. They brawl on the floor as Corbin slams Styles off the barricade. Post break and Corbin has things grounded. He follows with a slam, covering for 2. Corbin takes him up top, Styles slips out and follows with leg kicks. The sliding forearm follows, and Styles goes for cradles and looks for the clash, but Corbin escapes. Styles connects with the PELE, but runs into deep six and that gets 2. Styles locks on the calf killer, Corbin fights and escapes. Corbin up top, Styles cuts him off and hits the springboard forearm and wins. AJ Styles defeated Baron Corbin @ 13:05 via pin [**½] The good news is that Styles won and set up a potentially great match with Rollins. The bad news is that while Styles tried, there were no miracles, and he couldn’t drag a good match out o Corbin.
– Rollins arrives and shakes hands with Styles.
– End Scene.
– Thanks for reading.
The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 13. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka is joined by the returning Steven Jefferson Douglas Cook. On the show, the guys will discuss Bully Ray gaining power in ROH, the fickle fan reaction to the controversial AEW TV reports, WWE talent wanting out of the company, remembering Rick Rude and much more. The show is approximately 85 minutes long.
* Intro
* Bully Ray Gaining Power in ROH: 2:00
* AEW TV Controversy & Fickle Fan Reaction: 15:00
* Dolph Ziggler Last Wrestled at The Royal Rumble, Do You Miss Him?: 27:20
* Dark Side of The Ring: 34:50
* Remembering Rick Rude: 50:20
* If WWE Talents Want Out, Let Them Go: 63:00
You can subscribe and listen to the 411 on Wrestling Podcast via the
above player on Transistor, or on the following platforms:
* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play
