It’s Wrestlemania Monday, the “New Year of Wrestling”. A Raw generally full of surprises, opportunities, comebacks and arrivals…
I’m Steph and I watched Monday Night Raw for you last night. And if you think you missed something, nothing really changed on Planet WWE…
Three titles changed hands at Wrestlemania. Brock Lesnar now holds the Universal title, The Hardy Boys climbed the ladder to become the new Raw Tag Team champions and Kevin Owens is the new United States Champion. But also The Undertaker left his gloves, coat and hat on the ring mat of Wrestlemania after a gruelling match against Roman Reigns where he came up short.
The show begins with a video package of the main event of Wrestlemania. The same chants from the crowd yesterday are continuing tonight in the Armway Center, “Undertaker, Undertaker”…
But it’s Roman Reigns who appeared under thunderous boos, followed by long minutes of many other hating chants. Reigns is only allowed to say 4 words to them, “This is my yard now.” Before disappearing backstage. Rest in peace, Taker, WWE may already have buried you, the fans not.
HERE IS SOME OTHER SHIT THAT HAPPENED:
– The Hardys successfully defended the Raw Tag Team Championship against Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows. People expected to be deleted and see the owls be f–cked, but we’re in WWE now…
– Neville defeated Mustafa Ali to show he’s still the King of Cruiserweights.
– Vince McMahon got out of his big limo to announce Kurt Angle is the new General Manager of Raw, under a thunderous “You suck” chant. Theodore Long first appeared but McMahon asked him to go backstage.
– Next Monday’s show will feature a “Superstar Shakeup” with both the RAW and the SmackDown rosters. Time for a little draft?
– The New Day launched a Tag Team Open Challenge. The Revival, Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder, from NXT made their first steps on Raw to answer the challenge. And made a statement by winning the match and trying to destroy Kofi Kingston’s right ankle, the same good old NXT way.
– Backstage, Enzo did his act in front of a livid Kurt Angle. He and Big Cass wanted a title match, Angle gave them Cesaro and Sheamus. If they win, they will have their title match against the Hardy Boys. Angle proved to the world he’s a very bad speller. S.A.W.F.T., man…
– A six-women Tag Team match is set between Raw Women’s Champion Bayley, Sasha Banks and Dana Brooke on one side and Emma (yes, she’s FINALLY back in a ring), Nia Jax and Charlotte on the other side. Emma took the first ride against Dana to show she’s really back on track. But let the fight for the big girls. Sasha turns the Natural Selection into a Banks Statement for the win. New year, but still same old story… Charlotte attacked both Emma and Nia after the match. Emma fled quickly to let the Queen be beaten up by Nia Jax.
– Backstage, Sami Zayn is trying to befriend with the new General Manager, to ensure not be dumped to Smackdown the following week by Stephanie McMahon. Angle appreciated what he did to help Mick Foley and stated Zayn had the three “I’s”, intensity, intelligence and integrity. Jinder Mahal came to interrupt them. A match is set.
– Universal Champion Brock Lesnar and his advocate Paul Heyman made a promo to confirm the Beast is the Best. Brock is the superhero, he sent Goldberg to Suplex City. Goldberg is not going to come back, thank you Brock. Paul Heyman speaks and speaks. The Beast now wants new challengers. Seth Rollins, Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, both of them? But Roman Reigns is the target. The crowd chants “We want Balor” but Heyman sticks on Reigns. Braun Strowman appears and announces he wants to finish Reigns before letting him to Lesnar. Lesnar is ready to fight but Strowman flees.
– Backstage, Charly Caruso is with Chris Jericho. Jericho will try to reclaim the US belt against Kevin Owens at Payback PPV on April 30th. But tonight, he will team up with Seth Rollins against Samoa Joe and Kevin Owens. The crowd is on fire. So is Owens who slams him through a table with the help of Joe. Angle announces later to Rollins that Jericho will not be able to fight tonight but he will find him another tag team partner. Who may it be?
– Cesaro & Sheamus defeated Enzo & Big Cass to become the new number one contenders for the Raw Tag Team belts.
– Sami Zayn defeated a brutal Jinder Mahal in less than 2 minutes. It’s 4.43AM (french time) and we still have the main event to see…
Of course, who else than Finn Balor was supposed to be Seth Rollins partner for the main event. What an irony to make these two teaming up for Balor’s comeback… But factions had to be built up, in a classic good guys vs. bad guys way. Rollins made most of the match with his bad knee both Owens and Joe worked on. Balor’s repertoire didn’t change till last August, at least for the few minutes he fought. He hit the Coup de Grâce on Owens to give his team the win. Rollins raised Balor’s arm in a sign of respect.
TO SUM UP
Poor Wrestlemania Monday we witnessed… Surprises: not really, opportunities: very few, comebacks: expected ones, arrivals: one. Next week’s shake-up will be welcomed…
Thumbs up to the Undertaker, the Hardy Boys and Chris Jericho
Thumbs down to Roman Reigns
Hello to The Revival
Welcome back to Kurt Angle, Emma and Finn Balor
