WWE Raw live results: Superstar Shake-up fallout
Date: April 22, 2019
Location: Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, IA
The Big Takeaway —
AJ Styles will face Seth Rollins for the Universal title at Money in the Bank.
Show Recap —
Triple H came to the ring wearing a suit. As soon as he hit the ring, local boy Seth Rollins came out next. He shook hands with Hunter. (It’s weird that they’re friends now.) Rollins said it was surreal being in his home state holding the Universal title. The crowd chanted “welcome home.”
Hunter said Rollins called himself the king slayer (a jab at himself) and then beast slayer after stomping Brock Lesnar’s buckethead into the ground at WrestleMania. Hunter said the landscape has changed, because now Rollins was the measuring stick and everyone would be gunning before him.
Rollins knew that Money in the Bank was coming up and knew what that meant, considering he’s cashed in the briefcase and had the briefcase cashed in on him. Hunter said he first needed to worry about his opponent for MITB itself. Rollins guessed that Paul Heyman must’ve been vying for Lesnar’s rematch. (So, Rollins clearly didn’t read the Raw preview.)
Hunter explained to Rollins what the commentators explained to us already, that there would be two triple threat matches with the winners facing off in the main event. The winner of that match would face Rollins at MITB.
Samoa Joe interrupted and said he liked the idea that “our girl Becky Lynch” brought as a double champion. Joe said his shoulders were plenty wide and there was space for one more title. Rey Mysterio interrupted to stake his claim. Drew McIntyre did too, saying he spent a year cleaning things up around here and still hasn’t had a title opportunity.
The Miz came out next and said he’s proven he’s a man deserving of the Universal championship and wanted Rollins at MITB. Baron Corbin’s turn was next. He said Rollins might have slayed a beast, but he didn’t retire a gold medalist. Corbin went down the line asking if any of them had retired a gold medalist until he was interrupted by AJ Styles.
The crowd chanted for Styles. Styles called Corbin annoying. He said he was going to give everyone what they’ve always wanted, and that was AJ Styles vs. Seth Rollins. Rollins said he knew they were all gunning for him, but he was ready and would burn it down at MITB.
This was very hokey.
Triple threat match: AJ Styles defeated Rey Mysterio and Samoa Joe (17:46)
Styles and Mysterio traded shots while standing on the top when Joe ran up and gave them both a back suplex. The match was about 12 minutes old and they went to a second commercial break.
Styles gave Joe a Pelé kick, then Mysterio dropped Styles on the middle rope. Mysterio gave Joe a 619, but Styles caught him off the top and powerbombed him onto Joe, then gave him a Styles Clash onto Joe. Styles then pinned Joe for the win. Fun match.
They showed clips of John Cena hosting the Ellen DeGeneres show.
Naomi defeated Billie Kay (w/Peyton Royce) (1:12)
The IIconics did their usual annoying promo before the match, and when they were done, Corey Graves murmured, “who wrote that?” The gist of the promo was that Naomi no longer had anyone to watch her back after Bayley went to Smackdown. Naomi won quickly after knocking Royce off the apron and catching Kay with a springboard sunset flip rollup.
Triple threat match: Baron Corbin defeated The Miz and Drew McIntyre (15:00)
Corbin and McIntyre worked together briefly until Corbin clocked McIntyre with a right hand. Miz eventually fought back on both of them and hit running clotheslines in the corner, followed by soft Yes kicks.
They did a spot where McIntyre set up Miz for potentially a Samoan drop off the ropes, but then Corbin slipped under and powerbombed them into what was basically a Samoan drop off the ropes. After a break, Corbin and McIntyre were trading blows outside the ring when Miz leaped off the top rope and knocked them both down.
McIntyre gave Miz a reverse Alabama Slam for two. Miz avoided a Claymore kick and applied a Figure Four but McIntyre poked him in the eye. Corbin jumped in and gave Miz a Deep Six for a nearfall. McIntyre went for a DDT on Miz, but Miz countered into a DDT of his own for two. Corbin went for End of Days on Miz, but Miz slipped out and hit a DDT for another two.
Miz tossed Corbin from the ring, then McIntyre nailed Miz with a Claymore kick. Corbin tossed McIntyre from the ring and stole the pinfall for the win. Corbin faces Styles later tonight. Last couple of minutes were good.
Charly Caruso interviewed Styles backstage after the match. Styles wasn’t worried about Corbin. Styles noted that Corbin likes to list his accolades, like being a 2-time U.S. champion and retiring Kurt Angle. Styles said he was also a 2-time U.S. champion, but on top of that, was also a 2-time WWE champion and was the longest reigning champion in Smackdown history.
And while he didn’t beat Kurt Angle, “on a regular basis, I beat up John Cena!” Styles said we would hear the same thing tonight that we’d hear at MITB, that the winner of the match would be the phenomenal AJ Styles.
Sami Zayn came out for a promo. Zayn said he wasn’t bitter, he was jubilant. The 10 months he was gone from all of this and all the fans were the happiest of his life. He showed some pictures from his time off, including time spent in Norway, Mexico and Scotland.
Zayn wondered what was making him unhappy before. He said it wasn’t being surrounded by all the egotistical superstars in the back, it was the fans for creating and perpetuating this toxic environment. He suggested that they all take a trip: “You should all take a trip, that’s right! You can all go to hell!” Zayn appeared quite pleased with himself.
Cesaro defeated Cedric Alexander (6:24)
Cesaro came out to The Bar’s music. They played big man/small man with Cesaro using his power advantage. Alexander managed to fight back and hit a Michinoku Driver for two. Alexander nailed a dive, then tossed Cesaro back in the ring. He went for a springboard move, but Cesaro caught him with an uppercut for the pinfall win.
Caruso interviewed The Usos who cut a very Usos promo. They ran down all the Raw tag teams. When they got to the Lucha House Party, they had a line about ending the party and noted that you shouldn’t drink and drive, then gave each other a knowing look.
They were interrupted by The Revival who let them know they were in top-guy territory now. When the camera expanded, the Usos were asleep. They woke up to let the Revival know they were in the Uso penitentiary. You shouldn’t joke about drinking and driving, but outside of that, the Usos were very good here.
The Viking Raiders vs. Lucha House Party
The match never happened. Viking Raiders attacked LHP before the match and left them laying. They hit a double-team move and Michael Cole yelled, “that’s called the Viking Experience!” After this, Sarah Schreiber was quickly ready to interview Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins, who basically assured themselves that they would be fine despite all the competition.
Becky Lynch cut a promo on Lacey Evans. Lynch said she didn’t mind being sucker-punched, and has been known to throw a sneaky punch here and there herself. Lynch has made a career of slapping bleach blondes who curry favours from management. While Evans was in the back trying to further her career, she was ready to fight. Evans interrupted.
Evans wondered why Lynch always wanted to fight. Maybe she always let her emotions get the best of her because she’s Irish, or like a typical man, she always wanted to be the centre of attention. Evans said she would teach Lynch a lesson at MITB and would win both titles. Lynch said she would slap the head off her shoulders and dismantle her, “because I can.”
(Last week, they made a note to say that Evans was only fighting for the Raw title, but here, Evans said she would win both belts.)
Raw & Smackdown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch defeated Alicia Fox in a non-title match (8:04)
Lynch was in control until Fox drove her into the barricade. After a break, Lynch hit two exploder suplexes and applied the Disarmer for the submission win. Before Lynch could even break the hold, Evans was in the ring and hit her with the “women’s right.” Lynch slowly got to her feet and Evans gave her another one.
Caruso interviewed Corbin who said that all the nerds that were mad at him facing Kurt Angle were the same ones who thought he didn’t deserve a shot at Rollins. He said Rollins would pay for making his life a living hell. Caruso asked if he was looking past Styles. Corbin chuckled and said he was looking right through him.
Robert Roode defeated Ricochet (11:11)
They didn’t really explain why Roode changed his name. They aired a pretape interview where Roode said he was happy to shed 150-pounds of dead weight in Chad Gable, and Ricochet reminded him of Gable, because they were both missing that one thing that made him glorious.
Roode avoided a 630 attempt, then drove Ricochet into the turnbuckle and followed with a Glorious DDT for the clean pinfall win.
There was a “Firefly Fun House” segment, which was set up like a kid’s show featuring Bray Wyatt as the host. Wyatt played a friendly host who was clearly out of his mind. He acknowledged being a bad man in the past but has paid for his sins. There was a cardboard cutout of the old Bray Wyatt and he gleefully cut in in half with a chainsaw.
If you didn’t see this, you’ll have to watch it to get a better sense of what this was. It was different, at least. I’d like to give them the benefit of the doubt, but then again, Ricochet did just lose to Bobby Roode moments ago in a nothing match.
AJ Styles defeated Baron Corbin (13:06)
Corbin hit a Deep Six for two. He followed with clotheslines and set up for End of Days but Styles rolled into a Calf Crusher. Corbin countered by slamming Styles’ head into the mat. Styles followed soon after with the Phenomenal Forearm for the pinfall win.
AJ Styles vs. Seth Rollins at Money in the Bank.
After the match, Rollins came out and offered a handshake. Styles shook his hand, then Rollins pulled him in close. They exchanged words as the show went off the air.