I have to start out by saying this. Last night was exciting. Yes, the show is scripted, but it was so good, you just forgot about that little fact and enjoyed a damn good show. Tonight’s RAW continued the trend, I have not felt this excited to watch wrestling in a long time. Kudos to WWE.
You always watch the RAW after WrestleMania. Always. Even the internet whiners who complain how everything is to boost someone’s ego or how wrestling is Ruined Forever, those idiots still watch.
Tonight, we kicked off with an irate Paul Heyman who announced Brock will be enacting his rematch clause tonight. Stephanie McMahon interrupts to inform them Seth Rollins is on a plane back from NY following his appearance on Good Morning America. Fantastic promo cutting from Heyman as usual.
Our first match is a doozy, Daniel Bryan retaining the Intercontinental Championship against Dolph Ziggler in an awesome match. Just awesome. This is the sort of wrestling WWE needs to keep on television. Wade Barrett was sitting at ringside for the match, and post-match attempted to beat down both Bryan and Ziggler, however a returning Sheamus chased him away… Only to destroy Bryan and Ziggler himself. He has a very interesting new look, earning the live crowd chants of “You Look Stupid.”
.@WWESheamus: “I’m BACK!” #RAW pic.twitter.com/ZUYqCLJD2e
— WWE (@WWE) March 31, 2015
In another surprising twist, we have an eight-man tag featuring The Brass Ring Club and The Ascension up against The New Day and The Lucha Dragons from NXT! Kalisto was huge over with the crowd and picked up the win with the Selina Del Sol. Speaking of NXT, we got a promo for the next man to be called up to the main roster, Adrian Neville! Also important to note the crowd was not behind New Day at all, they got chants of “New Day Sucks.”
It’s 9pm and Brock Lesnar makes his way to the ring for his rematch!? Now?! Seth Rollins does indeed show up, and the belt looks massive around his waist, but damn awesome to see that. However, Rollins bails out, claiming to be jet lagged, and in my favorite line… “My foot hurts from curb stomping both you and Roman Reigns last night!” He escapes a German Suplex, and strikes with a Enziguri, which enrages the Beast. Rollins runs off. Then Godzilla strikes. Brock mauls J&J Security. Paul Heyman watches in horror as Lesnar then completely flips the announce table on top of JBL and Booker T. It appears Michael Cole escapes, except Brock catches him, rolls him into the ring, and to the delight of the crowd, F5s him. Brock then grabs a cameraman (likely an indy wrestler), and F5s him TWICE, the second after ingoring Stephanie’s please to stop the carnage. Because he does not, she suspends him and then fines him. OUCH.
“Suplex City…”
Byron Saxton comes out to do commentary solo, as Damien Mizdow, yes he keeps the name, defeats Star Dust with the Skull Crushing Finale. His celebration is halted by Miz who flattens his former protégé. Mizdow is over HUGE.
Curtis Axel is in the ring, and is still milking the Axelmania gimmick, because it took 29 other men to eliminate him from the Andre Memorial. Well, out comes another NXT grad, Adrian Neville! I joined the crowd in jumping to their feet when he came out. This is fantastic. He annihilates Axel, capping his win with the astounding Red Arrow. Yes, they shortened his name to Neville. Does not bother me in the slightest.
Byron Saxton seems to be struggling the solo commentary, and I can’t blame him. Being a one man commentary team is not an easy job. Thankfully, they send him Jerry Lawler during our next match for the United States Championship.
Next out, John Cena who is immediately booed. Of course. He runs with it, and mocks the crowd for singing “John Ceeeena Suuuuucks” during his intro. Cena calls out for an answer to his open challenge and we get… … DEAN AMBROSE! I started the #AmbroseLives trend. I am telling you, someone suddenly upgraded the WWE Creative team. Ambrose vs. Cena. On RAW. Where is the head of Ron Simmons to shout, DAMN!!! Ambrose wrestling very slowly, still hitting his big moves, but he has got to be wrestling hurt tonight. I voice my praise while cringing in fear as he leaps off the top rope with a big elbow onto Cena all the way to the arena floor. Ambrose kicked out of an Attitude Adjustment which made us all jump. Cena and Ambrose traded finishers, with Ambrose slapping on the STF as well. Cena did net the win after a reversal into the AA, however that was an awesome match, and Cena carried his share of the contest. DAMN that was another awesome match tonight. Once again, Mick Foley plugs his support of Dean Ambrose.
.@TheDeanAmbrose WON that match with @JohnCena. The guy who makes me jump out of bed for a near fall is the true winner at #RAWAfterMania
— Mick Foley (@realmickfoley) March 31, 2015
Crowd still sang “John Cena Suuuuucks.”
Backstage: Seth Rollins gloats to Renee Young, but is interrupted by Randy Orton. Big Show and Kane backing up the champion and they offer Orton the chance for a fight if he can find two partners. Big Show smirks.
We get a great six-Diva tag match where Paige, AJ Lee, and Naomi defeated The Bellas and Natalya. The live crowd was not as friendly, but Paige and AJ stole the match.
Backstage, Ryback asks Randy Orton out to dinner as an incentive to make him a tag partner tonight.
In the ring, Goldust comes out for a match with Rusev, as Byron Saxton and Jerry Lawler wonder why he did not answer the open-challenge from John Cena. Lots of “We Want Lana” chants from the crowd. Poor Gold Dust. He lasts only minutes until Rusev slaps on the Accolade. No Lana. Crowd died for this match. As did Gold Dust.
It’s main event time, as Seth Rollins, Big Show, and Kane pace around the ring, Randy Orton comes out with Ryback. Their third man, is Roman Reigns who surprises us early with an over-the-rope dive onto everyone. The highlight of this match was the live crowd trying oh-so-hard to be just like the epic crowd in New Jersey following WrestleMania 29. They made a valiant effort. Lots of chants such as “CM Punk” and a “Please Retire” directed towards Big Show which made him laugh. Decent match, with Reigns hitting a spear on Kane for the win. Crowd hated the finish.
Post Monday Night RAW – Live on the WWE Network
Sting is being interviewed by Renee Young and he says he doesn’t feel upset about losing to Triple H, he was just happy to have finally been to WrestleMania. As the crowd chanted “Undertaker” over and over, Sting says he does not know what will be next for him. His interview is interrupted by… BO DALLAS! In a great move, he talks about how Sting wound up losing. Dallas tells Sting, if he really wants to succeed in WWE, all he has to do is…
… BO-LIEVE!!!
Then eats a Scorpion Death Drop.
This was a very exciting RAW. While the main event match was a bit of a bummer, the entire night was awesome, and delivered some fantastic matchups. Dean Ambrose and John Cena put on a hell of a match, the same goes for Daniel Bryan and Dolph Ziggler.
Very much looking forward to the next few weeks, seeing where they take certain angles and what they do next with Brock Lesnar. No Undertaker, no Bray Wyatt tonight, so many more questions waiting to be answered.
