WWE Raw live results: Fallout from the Superstar Shakeup

The Big Takeaway: In an angle borrowed from 2003, Braun Strowman gave the Big Show a superplex, leading to the collapse of the ring. Despite Show being down and out, the referee taking a bump to the floor and the ring left in ruins, Strowman got up from the scene of destruction and roared to end the show. Strowman was the main player on the show, attacking R-Truth, Goldust and Kalisto in various backstage segments. Strowman vs. Roman Reigns is official for Payback. Alexa Bliss will face Bayley for the Raw Women’s Championship after winning a Fatal Four-Way to become the #1 contender. Also official for Payback is Seth Rollins vs. Samoa Joe, who defeated Chris Jericho in the evening’s best match. 

Show Recap: 

Booker T was acknowledged as being back on commentary replacing David Otunga, who is shooting a movie. 

Strowman came out and said he broke Reigns in half. He was proud to say that Reigns left in an ambulance, was proud to say Reigns suffered a separate shoulder and cracked ribs and proud that Reigns wasn’t going to be here tonight. Crowd cheered all of this and chanted “yes.” Strowman said now that Reigns is out of the way, he intends to show the rest of the locker room that he is a monster among men. 

Kurt Angle walked out and asked what Strowman was trying to prove? He had done enough damage. Strowman said there was more to come. Angle said that’s what Reigns said over the phone before they signed on the air tonight. Angle ordered Strowman vs. Reigns at Pay Back. Strowman said it would be Reigns funeral. Strowman asked about tonight. Angle said Strowman should be tonight and said he should take tonight off. Strowman said Mick Foley tried to play these games with him and look how far that went for him. Strowman said he wanted more competition of else. Angle said “Or else, what?” Strowman got in Angle’s face, gave him a nasty look and left. 

Rollins was out on commentary. His match with Joe a Pay Back was officially announced. Cole told Rollins during the match no one gave him a chance in his match against HHH. 

Samoa Joe defeated Chris Jericho via submission (9:05) 

Jericho wore a light-blinking scarf during his entrance. Jericho made a brief comeback with a double axehandle off the top rope, but Joe quickly hit the snap powerslam. Joe missed a senton, and Jericho caught the Lionsault for two. Jericho spike Jericho with the uranage out of the corner, but missed another senton attempt from the second rope. Jericho put Joe in the Walls of Jericho, but Joe slowly rolled over to his back. Joe sank in the Coquina Clutch, which was really an old school sleeper hold. Jericho kicked off the top rope, teasing the Bret Hart-Steve Austin finish at the 1996 Survivor Series, but Joe rolled his shoulders up. Joe kept his body weight down on Jericho, and got the body scissors to force the tapout. 

After the match, Joe asked Rollins if he remembered what it sounded like when Joe arrived here. Joe remembered it well. It was the sound of Rolliins’ screams and agony, pleading for mercy when he held him in the Coquina clutch. Joe said that was just business because Rollins was just a target for his benefactor, HHH. After what Rollins did to HHH and Stephanie McMahon, Joe said it won’t be business, it will be very, very personal. 

Rollins stood up on the commentator’s desk and said it certainly will be personal because Joe almost ended his career. In two weeks, he’ll face Joe and remind him what they say, that Pay Back is a bitch. 

Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows walked backstage. They walked past the Drifter strumming his guitar. 

Goldust and R-Truth were in the back when Strowman attacked both of them. Strowman threw Goldust into cases and screamed at Truth “I said everyone” before clubbing him in the chest. Fit Finley and Jamie Noble rushed in to stop Strowman and help Truth. 

A referee went into the locker room and told Strowman that Angle made it clear that Strowman had the night off. Strowman said he would leave when he was ready, unless the referee had a problem with that. The referee said nothing and Strowman sat back down. 

Anderson said Strowman gave Goldust and Truth the United Airlines treatment and they are the ones put on standby? Gallows told Angle to get them some opponents right now. Enzo Amore and Big Cass came out. Amore said the Superstar Shake-Up came and went, and Monday night was still the realest night of the week. Cass said Amore was looking at Anderson and Gallows with bug eyes, which can see into the future. He sees four black eyes and one word to describe them. 

Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson defeated Enzo Amore and Big Cass (10:55) 

For the second time in two weeks, someone used the Divorce Court on Raw as Gallows applied it on Amore. Corey Graves didn’t call the spot, however. Anderson, fittingly, used a spinebuster for a near fall. Amore jumped off the second rope for a DDT, but Anderson intercepted Amore’s leaping attempt at a hot tag. Anderson missed a scissor kick and fell to the floor. This time, Amore faked leaping to the corner, Anderson dove again, and Amore stepped around him for the tag to Cass. For the finish, Amore tagged in for the Bada Booom Shaka Laka. Gallows came in for the save. Cass gave Gallows a big boot and both fell to the floor. Amore went back to the second rope for the DDT, but Anderson threw Amore onto the top rope. Amore essentially crotched himself and was pinned by Anderson. 

The Miz and Maryse came out for MizTV. Miz said he and Maryse shocked the world last week when they appeared on Raw during the Superstar Shake-Up. Dean Ambrose interrupted him. Ambrose offered a truce because Miz was from Cleveland and he was from Cincinnati. Ambrose did some Ohio cheerleading, and said Maryse wouldn’t know anything about this because she’s Canadian. Ambrose said Miz’s maroon suit was a joke. Miz said he respects what a WWE superstar is, he looks the part, he talks the part because he is the part. Miz said Ambrose wears jacket and jeans and makes WWE superstars looks like “rasslers.” Miz acknowledged the WWE Universe loves Ambrose, which is why he’s given opportunity after opportunity. Miz said Ambrose was the top pick in last year’s draft and immediately winning the WWE World Championship and carrying it to SmackDown. But Ambrose wasted all of that momentum because he was a blip on the radar at WrestleMania. Miz said Ambrose was lazy and complacent. 

Ambrose said it didn’t matter what he was wearing because all that cares was what’s in here, pointing to his heart. Ambrose said he doesn’t know what branding means, he’s Dean Ambrose. He doesn’t care about endorsement deals or money, he loves kicking ass, getting his ass kicked, broken bones, broken teeth, and black eyes. He loves being the Intercontinental Champion, and Miz should know because he beat Miz for it. Maryse got in Ambrose’s face and said Ambrose walking around with a belt didn’t make him a champion. There was an old saying, the championship doesn’t make the man, the man makes the championship. Ambrose asked Maryse to hold the mic. Miz then went on and on about how Ambrose was a loser and Miz made the championship. Meanwhile, Ambrose took off his jacket getting ready to fight. He jumped Miz and threw punch after punch. Maryse threw the microphone at Ambrose’s back. Miz went for the Skull Crushing Finale, but Ambrose escaped and tried to give him Dirty Deeds. Miz and Maryse rolled out of the ring and headed for higher ground.

Backstage, Strowman dragged Kalisto around, apparently having jumped him earlier. As referees screamed at him, Strowman said he was carrying Kalisto out the door with him, then he threw Kalisto in the trash. As Strowman walked away, the Big Show gave Strowman a body check into the wall and told him to pick on someone his own size.   

Strowman vs. Show was announced for later tonight. 

T.J. Perkins defeated Jack Gallagher (9:57) 

Neville came out to make a “special appearance,” as Jojo called it. Neville gave Jack Gallagher a mean stare, then sat down at ringside. Austin Aries came out, invited himself to ringside and said down beside Neville, who pulled his chair well away from Aries. Austin enjoyed a banana as Gallagher used a variety of armlocks on T.J. Perkins. Perkins did the Dad after reversing an armlock. Gallagher responded by doing his own Dad. Perkins threw William the Third Umbrella to the floor. Perkins caught his body between the ropes, and Gallagher missed the charge and took a hard fall to the floor. 

Gallagher used an exploder suplex and a powerslam for a two count. Then Perkins took one of Gallagher’s head butts, which look really uncomfortable now after Katsuyori Shibata. Gallagher grabbed his umbrella for the Mary Poppins Plancha. As Gallagher tried to pick Perkins up, Perkins threw Gallagher into Aries. As Aries got up on the apron to fight, Neville clipped Aries from behind. Aries fell on his arm to the floor. Gallagher was distracted by all of this, and Perkins kicked the middle rope into Gallagher’s face, then pinned Gallagher after a Detonation Kick. Perkins’ new heel gimmick is he’s Neville’s advocate. 

Apollo Crews and Akira Tozawa talked backstage. Tozawa was talking about how great it was that Crews was on Raw. Titus O’Neil stepped in and Tozawa left. O’Neil congratulated Crews on becoming a father. O’Neil said Crews needs to hook up with the Titus brand, and said imagine if someone wanted to go on a vacation to Florida, they could take an Apollo Cruise.” If a couple wanted to dance on the cruise, they could play some “Apollo Blues.” If something went wrong on the vacation and wanted to take legal action, they could “Apollo Sues.” Crews just rolled his eyes at all of these suggestions, but O’Neil gave Crews his card. 

Jeff and Matt Hardy did an interview. Matt Hardy, in a normal voice, did a perfectly bland promo. Jeff Hardy followed. Cesaro and Sheamus stepped in. Cesaro welcomed them back to Raw on behalf of the entire Raw locker room. Sheamus talked about watching WrestleMania 17 in Ireland and the Hardys stole the show. They invented the TLC match. Sheamus said it was going to be an honor to defeat the Hardy Boyz at Payback and when the Raw Tag Team Championships. Matt said they didn’t need ladders to beat Cesaro, who tried to keep things respectful.

Alexa Bliss defeated Sasha Banks in a Fatal Four-Way that also included Nia Jax and Mickie James to become the #1 contender for the Raw Women’s Championship (13:45)  

Alexa Bliss got a big reaction since they were in her hometown. This was Mickie James’ first Raw match in seven years. Bliss tried to keep her distance from Nia Jax. Sasha Banks did a tope onto James and Jax. At one point, Jax stacked the other three women on top of each other, including gently placing James on top of Bliss, whikch got Jax booed. Jax put Banks in a bearhug. Banks tried to counter it into a guillotine choke, but Jax reversed that into a vertical suplex. James tried to knock Jax down, but Jax held him in a choke. James leaned down into a Russian armbar, but Jax picked James up and dumped her on Banks in the corner. Bliss teased a crossbody on Jax, but thought better of it when she saw Jax walking towards her. Jax tried to give James and Banks a double splash but missed and went to the floor. Banks gave Bliss the double knees in the corner, but Jax dragged Banks out of the ring. James tripped Jax on the apron. Bliss hit James on the apron, and James fell onto Bliss. 

That left Banks vs. Bliss one-on-one. Bliss teased a Snap DDT, but Banks used the Bank Statement. James mde the save after several minutes of struggle. James gave Banks the Divorce Court. They fought on the top rope, but Jax hit Banks from behind. With James still on the top rope, Jax picked Banks up, and used Banks as a battering ram to knock James to the floor. Jax hit the Samoan Drop on Banks, but Bliss ran in and dropkicked Jax out of the ring, then stole the pin on Banks. Jax was booked as the heel, but her win earned the biggest pop on the show. 

Big Show did an interview with Charly Caruso. He said Strowman was going to get a taste of his own medicine, giant style. 

Curt Hawkins did a promo in the ring saying Show stepped in the ring with him. Now, he’s in the main event tonight. If you want to be a main event superstar, you step in the ring with Curt Hawkins, who laid down an open challenge to join “Curt Hawkins’ Star Factory.” Finn Balor came out. 

Finn Balor defeated Curt Hawkins (:36) 

It was effortless as Balor used all of three moves to finish Hawkins, pinning him with the Coup de Grace. 

Actor Dule Hill was at ringside. He’s in the next WWE Studios film called “Sleight,” which opens April 28th. 

Jericho did an interview with Mike Rome about losing to Joe. He said there’s nothing to be ashamed of about losing to Joe, but he couldn’t get focused about the match because of his upcoming match with Owens. He said Owens called himself the face of America, but it was too ugly a face for America. The face of America should be the Face of Jericho, “Frame it in, man.” Jericho said if he beats Owens, he will go to SmackDown, but it didn’t matter if he was on Raw, Smackdown, Superstars, Sunday Night Heat, Nitro, the friends of Jericho will always be with him. Then Jericho pulled a Rock and said “Can’t you hear the Friends of Jericho now?” and they all started chanting “Y2J.” Jericho called Rome Tom Stevens, and they started arguing about what his name was. Jericho started to put Stevens on the list, but the Drifter walked through playing his guitar. For that, Jericho took Rome off the hook and put the Drifter on the list. 

Bray Wyatt did a promo on Randy Orton. Wyatt said he had a question, what are you afraid of? Are you afraid of the dark? The unkown? The monster that lives under your bed? Fear is what brings you all together, but he isn’t like you. He doesn’t bow down to fear, he controlls it. Fear lives within his house of horrors. Wyatt said he knows Randy is scared, because he smells it. He said all of Orton’s fears will come to life. He will drag Orton down the hill so far his skin will blister. Orton will fell like a heathen with bones broken, an infidel forced to gnaw on his own chains in order to escape. Wyatt will show Orton fear and horror. Orton’s pain will fuel him. Orton’s screams will play like a symphony to his ears. Wyatt’s house of horrors will forever be in Orton’s dreams and he will leave the house alone. But before he goes, he will burn it to the ground with Orton inside. Wyatt invited Orton to join him in the fire, where it all began and where it will all end. He said “It all burns down here, Randy. Run.” 

Alicia Fox showed Dana Brooke a scene from 205 Live when a box exploded in her face, sending power all over him. Emma walked in and said Brooke was laughing about the highlight from earlier and found it funny that Fox got embarrassed. Fox got mad and Brooke and said she would see Brooke tomorrow and they weren’t friends anymore, then walked off. Brooke called Emma a liar. Emma said Brooke wanted to see how she wanted to stand on her own two feet, so let’s see how she does. 

Jeff Hardy defeated Cesaro (13:04) 

Announcers played this up like it was a dream match. Jeff limped to the floor after a Cesaro powerslam, so Cesaro gave him a running uppercut at ringside. Good back-and-forth match where Jeff used a Whisper in the Wind for a two count. After a dropkick, Hardy missed a dropkick in the corner. Cesaro went for the Gotch Neutralizer, but Jeff escaped and hit the Twist of Fate. Jeff hit the Swanton for the pin. 

Sheamus and Matt Hardy had a tense staredown afterwards. Sheamus extended his hand and shook Matt’s hand, and did the same with Jeff. 

Rome started to give an update on Goldust when Heath Slater and Rhyno walked in. Slater bragged about being the Raw Tag Team Champions and having an above ground pool. Rhyno was eating frosted cookies when Strowman stormed past both of them, stopping the interview dead in its tracks. 

Braun Strowman and the Big Show fought to a no contest (12:14) 

They brawled around ringside before the bell. Show tossed Strowman into the ring steps twice, and gave him a baseball slide once they got in the ring. Strowman tried to give Show a dropkick, which was mistimed. Strowman bounced off the ropes but didn’t fully extend his legs. On the other hand, Strowman did a cool kick-up, but Strowman gave Show an arm drag. Show looked hurt after that. Strowman went for a slam, but they traded elbows and short punches.

Show got Strowman up for a slam, which got a pop. He called for a choke slam, but Strowman gave Show a vertical suplex. Strowman tried to give Show the Oklahoma Stampede, but Show slipped out and threw Strowman into the corner, then he gave Show a running splash in the corner. Show put Strowman on the top rope to tease a superplex. Crowd chanted “yes,” but Strowman punched him off. Strowman jumped off the ropes, but Show caught him for a chokeslam which Strowman kicked out of. Show went for the KO punch, but Strowman ducked and gave him a powerslam for another two count. Strowman went back to the top rope, but Show gave him a shoulder butt. Show gave Strowman a head butt. Show again teased the superplex, but Show got crotched on the top rope. Crowd booed since that was the spot everyone wanted to see. Strowman jumped off the ropes, but Show hit the KO punch, but only two. Show looked desperate since he hit both his finishers to no avail. Show climbed to the top rope, but Strowman climbed the top rope and hit the superplex. The ring collapsed, just like the Show-Brock Lesnar angle on SmackDown in 2003. The place went bonkers. Various perssonel immediately came to ringside to survey the damage to the wrestlers and the ring. The referee took a tough bump to the floor and some officials hovered around him looking concerned.  

With the ring in tatters and Show unconscious, Strowman got up after about a minute of selling the superplex, then roared. The announcers played it up like Strowman was an unstoppable beast. Another great angle with Strowman.