By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Raw (Episode 1,405)
Taped today in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Aired April 27, 2020 on USA Network
[Hour One] The Raw opening theme aired… Tom Phillips, Samoa Joe, and Byron Saxton were on commentary. The trio hyped the previously advertised contract signing and Triple Threat match…
Powell’s POV: It’s good to have Joe back on commentary because (a) Joe is good on commentary (b) it means 70 year-old heart attack survivor and high risk case Jerry Lawler is presumably at home.
MVP hosted the VIP Lounge in the ring. MVP introduced his guests Rey Mysterio, Aleister Black, and Apollo Crews, who are the three Raw entrants in the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match. MVP picked Crews to win MITB. The broadcast team noted that Crews beat MVP in a qualifying match. MVP asked Mysterio a question, but he pulled the mic away and answered for him. MVP asked Crews if he has what it takes to win MITB.
Andrade’s music played before Crews could answer. Andrade, Zelina Vega, Austin Theory, and Angel Garza walked onto the stage. Vega said no one in the WWE Universe wants to hear what Crews has to say. Vega said the fans can’t get enough of her men and labeled them the future of Raw. Vega said the three MITB entrants can’t measure up to her trio.
Vega said the future of the MITB entrants is bleak and the MITB contract will preside somewhere other than Raw. Vega’s crew walked to and then entered the ring. Vega said the MITB entrants could show respect for Raw by letting her trio take their place.
Mysterio took the mic from MVP. He mocked the idea that he, Black, and Crews would give up their spot in MITB. Mysterio said they also came to pick a fight with him, Black, and Crews. The MITB entrants quickly cleared Vega’s trio from the ring. Phillips wondered what would happen next between those six as the show cut to commercial… [C]
Powell’s POV: Let me guess, Tom, a six-man tag match?
1. Rey Mysterio, Aleister Black, and Apollo Crews vs. Andrade, Angel Garza, and Austin Theory (w/Zelina Vega). Joe said Vega clearly knew that Mysterio, Black, and Crews weren’t going to give up their MITB spots, she and her crew were looking for a fight. Mysterio set up Andrade for a 619, but Garza and Theory pulled Andrade to the floor. Mysterio pulled the top rope down while Black and Crews performed flip dives onto Garza and Theory around 6:00. [C]
Around 15:00, Garza caught Mysterio with a kick. Garza ripped off his own tearaway pants and tossed Mysterio to ringside. [C] Mysterio was isolated and ended up tagging in Crews, who worked over the heels. Crews slammed Theory and had him pinned, but Andrade made the save. A short time later, Andrade blasted Crews with his spinning elbow and got a near fall. Crews rallied and hit Andrade with a sit-out powerbomb and scored the pin…
Rey Mysterio, Aleister Black, and Apollo Crews defeated Andrade, Angel Garza, and Austin Theory in 25:00.
The Triple H 25th anniversary celebration continued with highlights of Hunter forming the second version of DX. This was tenth on the list of something… [C]
Powell’s POV: I don’t pretend to have all the answers when it comes to improving pro wrestling’s ratings during these empty venue shows, but I’m very confident that 25 minute six-man tag matches with nothing at stake isn’t among them. I also pray that we don’t get another nervous Vince McMahon roast of Triple H at the end of this show.
The No. 9 clip in Triple H’s top ten moments was shown. It was his WrestleMania match with Sting…
Backstage, Andrade and Vega were bickering when Charly Caruso interrupted and asked what went wrong in the match. Andrade said his partners let him down. Andrade said Apollo Crews can’t beat him in a championship singles match. Andrade and Vega stormed away.
Crews walked into the show laughing and said he couldn’t hep but overhearing the poor losers complaining. Crews said he beat Andrade once and would be happy to show everyone that he could beat him twice in the same night. Andrade returned and talked smack to Crews, who responded with a slap. Vega said that Crews would get his title match later tonight…
A video package recapped the recent storyline developments and promos in the Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins feud… The eighth moment on Triple H’s top ten was when special referee Shawn Michaels helped him defeat The Rock in a Smackdown match… [C]
Powell’s POV: The U.S. Title match is a solid hook. I like that they are making a fuss over Crews pinning the U.S. Champion, but the creative forces have to know that it would mean so much more if the secondary champions lost non-title matches once a year rather than seemingly once a month.
The No. 7 Triple H moment was when he was giving hands on instructions to Trish Stratus when Stephanie McMahon entered the room and flipped out. Phillips clarified that these are “career defining moments” (um, sure)…
Highlights aired of Nia Jax destroying Kairi Sane last week… Asuka made her entrance and cut one of her wild promos and apparently vented about what Jax did to Sane.
[Hour Two] Jax’s entrance interrupted the rant. Shayna Baszler was the last woman out. She reached inside the ring and pulled Asuka to ringside and ran her into one of the ladders that are by the ramp as part of the MITB theme.
Jax went after Baszler and ran her into the barricade. Asuka returned to the fight. Jax brought a ladder into the ring and ran it into Baszler and Asuka. Jax put the ladder over her head and teased throwing it at Baszler and Asuka, but she simply dropped it behind her. Phillips said Jax just wanted her opponents to think about it. He added that the scheduled Triple Threat match never got started…
Powell’s POV: Well, that happened. The only match that was advertised for this show will apparently not take place. We see brawls prior to matches that end up taking place all the time, so this felt like the copout that it was. There are plenty of ways to get to a brawl like this without teasing a match the company didn’t intend to deliver.
Backstage, Lana was raving about Bobby Lashley until he stopped her. Lashley said he would prefer that she not accompany him to ringside during his match because she’s a distraction. Lashley tried to make it seem like it’s because she’s so beautiful. He asked if she understood. She smiled and said that she did (the broadcast team wasn’t buying it)…
2. Bobby Lashley vs. Denzel Dejournette. Dejournette actually slapped Lashley, who came back and destroyed him. Lashley speared Dejournette and pinned him…
Bobby Lashley defeated Denzel Dejournette in 1:40.
Powell’s POV: It seemed like things were falling apart between Lashley and Lana for a few weeks, then they seemed to be acting like everything was fine recently, and now they’re back to having issues again. I’d say this is poor writing, but I’ve lived this in past relationships.
The broadcast team recapped highlights of Liv Morgan beating Ruby Riott on last week’s Raw. Saxton questioned if Morgan could beat Riott in back to back matches, then hyped the rematch for after the break… [C]
Phillips hyped the contract signing and then said he wanted to deliver some “breaking news from earlier today.” Huh? Anyway, he set up a video package on the WWE 2K Battlegrounds game that will be released in the fall…
3. Liv Morgan vs. Ruby Riott. Riott hit an early Riott Kick for a near fall. Riott talked smack. Morgan came back and hit her Oblivion finisher (DDT from the middle rope)…
Liv Morgan defeated Ruby Riott in 2:55.
After the match, Saxton entered the ring and asked if it’s the start of a new chapter for Morgan. Morgan said there will continue to be many more chapters. She said that like a lot of people her age, she’s still trying to figure out who she is. Morgan said she’s confident that she will figure it out…
Powell’s POV: Will Morgan live the gimmick by quitting her job and moving into her mom’s basement while she figures out who she is? Anyway, I like that they put over Morgan again rather than repeat the usual parity booking mistake.
Phillips hyped the contract signing for later in the show… [C] No. 6 on the Triple H list was when he beat Mankind to win the King of the Ring tournament… The hosts hyped the Money in the Bank card and ran through the lineup…
Nia Jax was shown backstage when Caruso approached her. Caruso said Jax had a lot of people talking about her actions “in tonight’s match.” Jax took offense and asked Caruso what she could do about her actions. Jax said nothing. She asked what Asuka could do about her actions and then said nothing. Rinse and repeat for Shayna Baszler. She asked what anyone can do, then yelled “nothing” obnoxiously…
The Viking Raiders were shown in front of their awful red light. They spoke about the Street Profits while their music played. They pointed out that the Profits won the NXT Tag Titles after they relinquished them, then won the Raw Tag Titles after they were injured and unable to compete. Erik said the Profits have never beaten them. Ivar said the world may call the Profits champions, but they know the truth. Erik said the Profits will only be second best as long as they are around. Ivar dared the Profits to prove them wrong because “we want the smoke”…
Phillips hyped the return of Jinder Mahal as coming up after the break… [C]
Powell’s POV: Jinder is back? Holy shit, the ratings drought is over (or something). I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I loved War Machine, but the Viking Raiders continue to come off like cosplayers regardless of how much they legitimately dig vikings.
No. 5 on the Triple H list was when he led the NXT invasion of Raw and Smackdown heading into Survivor Series…
4. Jinder Mahal vs. Akira Tozawa. Tozawa’s entrance was not televised. Mahal hit his Khallas finisher for the win…
Jinder Mahal defeated Akira Tozawa in 1:35.
Powell’s POV: As easy as it is to bust on Mahal (and I did earlier), congratulations to him for returning from a knee injury that sidelined him for nearly a year. Meanwhile, I didn’t mind Tozawa taking competitive losses on Raw while in the Interim NXT Cruiserweight Title tournament, but he looked more like a glorified enhancement wrestler this week.
Caruso interrupted a chat between Andrade and Vega, only to have Vega tell her that she will never ask Andrade a question and now must go through her first. After Andrade and Vega walked away, Angel Garza showed and up and said he knows that Caruso is very professional. Garza wondered if sometime in the near future they could get better acquainted. Caruso smiled and said yes while Garza handed her a rose… [C]
The No. 4 moment on Triple H’s career defining moments was his impersonation of Vince McMahon…
Powell’s POV: If they really want to be funny, they’ll show footage of the actual Paul Levesque and Stephanie McMahon wedding and label it Triple H’ No. 1 career defining moment.
5. Andrade (w/Zelina Vega) vs. Apollo Crews for the U.S. Championship. Ring announcer Mike Rome delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Andrade went for a running knee in the corner, but Crews moved out of the way and Andrade tumbled to the floor. Crews went for a moonsault from the apron. Andrade moved and Crews sold a knee injury for a second before Andrade clotheslined him. [C]
[Hour Three] Andrade was dominant coming out of the break until he missed a double knee strike in the corner. Crews made his comeback and Vega did a nice job of expressing concern. Crews pressed Andrade over his head and dropped him, then performed a standing moonsault for a near fall. Crews went back to clutching his knee.
Andrade connected with his double knees in the corner and only got a near fall. Crews went for another gorilla press, but Andrade countered into a DDT for a near fall. Andrade went for a hammerlock DDT, but Crews countered out of it. Crews caught Andrade with a kick and a slam for a near fall.
A short time later, Crews headbutted Andrade from the ropes and then went for a double stomp, but Andrade moved. Crews came up clutching his bad knee. The referee called off Andrade and checked on Crews before waving off the match even though Crews was saying no repeatedly…
Andrade defeated Apollo Crews in 16:45 via ref stoppage to retain the U.S. Championship.
The broadcast team hyped the contract signing for later in the show… [C]
Powell’s POV: It’s so difficult to say whether Crews’s push is working without a live crowd there to serve as the barometer. I do know that it was too soon to put the title on him, so the finish worked for me because it protected both men.
The No. 3 moment on the Triple H list was the formation of Evolution… The broadcast team spoke about the U.S. Title match and said Apollo Crews was being evaluated by the medical staff…
The Street Profits delivered a backstage promo in response to the Viking Raiders. They moved Erik and Ivar as cosplayers and mocked their Carpool Karaoke segment from last week. Angelo Dawkins said it’s 2020 and told them to get on Spotify. Montez Ford said the Viking Raiders were right. He said they could crack jokes or they could make them wrong. Dawkins and Ford said they are free next week. Ford said that if smoke is what the Raider want then that’s exactly what they’ll get…
Powell’s POV: Finally, the Street Profits take a serious approach rather than telling hammy jokes. This was effective and I like the story that’s been told regarding the Profits never having beaten the Raiders.
The broadcast team set up footage from a WWE 24 documentary on the rise of Becky Lynch to the Raw Women’s Championship… Saxton hyped the contract signing as coming up later in the show… [C]
6. Ricochet and Cedric Alexander vs. “Ever Rise” Chase Parker and Matt Martel. The Ever Rise entrance was not televised. The broadcast team said they are NXT wrestlers and friends with Sami Zayn. Ricochet was isolated briefly and then made a hot tag to Alexander, who worked over both opponents. Alexander performed a tornado DDT and then Ricochet performed a standing shooting star press on Parker and had the pin, but it was broken up by Martel. In the end, Ricochet performed a missile dropkick to the back of Parker’s head, which drove him into a Flatliner by Alexander, who pinned him…
Ricochet and Cedric Alexander defeated Chase Parker and Matt Martel in 4:10.
MVP appeared on the big screen after the match and applauded Ricochet and Alexander. He said he has a keen eye for talent and the NFL Draft got him thinking. MVP said who better to reintroduce Raw to Shane Thorne and Brendan Vink, who were standing by his side. MVP proposed a rematch between the teams…. Phillips hyped the contract signing… [C]
Powell’s POV: I like the idea of MVP becoming a manager. I can’t say that I thought of Thorne and Vink as his ideal proteges, but I guess we’ll see where it goes. If nothing else, MVP’s involvement makes the rematch a little more interesting.
The No. 2 moment on Triple H’s list was the DX invasion of WCW…
Apollo Crews was shown using crutches to get around backstage. He had a bag of ice on his left knee. Charly Caruso showed up and said she was sorry to see him that way. Crews acted emotional and like he couldn’t find the words…
Powell’s POV: They are doing a good job of teasing the possibility that there will need to be a replacement in the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match. I guess we’ll see if that’s the plan or if they are trying to build interest and sympathy for Crews.
A video package recapped the McIntyre and Rollins feud. The 836th plug for the contract signing was delivered by Saxton heading into the break… [C]
The No. 1 moment in Triple H’s career is when he returned from tearing his quad muscle eight months earlier…
Powell’s POV: I can’t wait until they show us Jinder Mahal’s empty arena entrance from earlier tonight when they get around to his 25th anniversary celebration.
Phillips announced The Street Profits vs. The Viking Raiders for next week’s Raw, but he did not mention anything about the tag titles being on the line…
Jerry Lawler was introduced and he stood in the ring as the host of the contract signing. Lawler hyped the MITB ladder matches being held at WWE Headquarters and the unique approach. Lawler introduced Seth Rollins and then WWE Champion Drew McIntyre for the contract signing for their match at Money in the Bank.
McIntyre told Lawler that given how these things typically go, he might want to skidaddle. Lawler said he thinks that’s a good idea. McIntyre teased talking, then simply signed the contract and pushed it over for Rollins to do the same. McIntyre said Rollins is the one who jumped him a couple weeks ago and they could get this done in twenty seconds.
“Do you think I want this?” Rollins asked. “I have to do this, Drew.” Rollins said he started it to get McIntyre’s attention so that he could get the match and get the WWE Championship where it needs to be. Rollins said it’s not about him or McIntyre, it’s bigger than that.
Rollins said McIntyre will be a great champion someday. Rollins said McIntyre is an honorable man, but he’s not a leader. Rollins said he’s led wherever he’s been during his career and people have followed him. Rollins said people need a leader and he can be the light in that darkness. Rollins said he suffered for the title and McIntyre doesn’t have to. “I don’t want you to suffer the way I did,” Rollins said. “I don’t want what happened to me to happen to you. That is my burden to carry, not yours.”
Rollins said he doesn’t want to be the one to crush McIntyre’s dreams, but that’s a sacrifice he’s willing to make for the greater good. He said McIntyre is a smart guy and one day this will all make sense. He said when that day comes, McIntyre can find him and he won’t turn him away.
“Thank you, Seth,” McIntyre responded. He said it was a passionate speech and very enlightening. McIntyre said things are very clear to him and everyone else watching around the world. “It’s clear that you are completely full of shit,” McIntyre said. He asked where Rollins’ follower are. He said Rollins scared them off, but it’s not his fault. He said the fans turned on Rollins, but that’s not his fault either because it’s never Rollins’ fault.
McIntyre told Rollins to look at him, then told him that he will never let him win the championship under any circumstances. McIntyre offered him advice. “Number one, shut your mouth,” McIntyre said. He told him that no one backstage or online wants to hear him talk. He said Rollins impressively puts his foot in his mouth each time he does speak. McIntyre also told Rollins to finish the job unlike when he attacked him. “Go for the throat, I’ll sure as hell go for yours,” McIntyre said.
Rollins stood up and told McIntyre that the big picture will become very clear at Money in the Bank. “And trust me when I tell you that you will be better off for it.” Rollin signed the contract. Rollin started to say “have faith in…” and then McIntyre slammed Rollins’ head onto the broadcast table. McIntyre said this isn’t how Rollins though the sermon would go. McIntyre backed into the corner and started his countdown.
Murphy showed up and attacked McIntyre before he could deliver the Claymore Kick. Murphy put McIntyre down and then approached a skittish Rollins, who then hugged him. McIntyre performed a Claymore Kick that took out Murphy, who pushed Rollins out of the way. Rollins headed to ringside while the broadcast team recapped the segment. McIntyre and Rollins had a long distance staredown while McIntyre’s music played to close the segment…
Powell’s POV: They saved the best segment of the night for last. I want to believe that there’s a plan for Rollins and that something will actually come together at the pay-per-view, but I’m not sure there’s more to this than we see. McIntyre was really strong in with his laid back coolness and the way he attacked Rollins to get the better of him. Unfortunately, WWE had Jerry Lawler travel to the show for that. They also taped next week’s Raw today so it’s possible he did more, but why do they continue to take this risk with him? Yes, he wants to do it, but good bosses save their employees from themselves.
Overall, this three hour Raw felt like a five hour Raw in a lot of ways. It wasn’t all bad, but they’re just shaking up the formula in a meaningful way. I will have more to say about this episode in my weekly same night audio review for members coming up shortly. Let me know what you thought of the show by giving it a letter grade in our post show poll available on the main page. Stay safe and thanks for watching along with me.
Join John Moore for his live review of Impact Wrestling on Tuesday night.
Aka the only reason I bother to tune in (Asuka) isn’t used. F this company.
So much for Jerry Lawler not being there. Ugh!
“If they really want to be funny, they’ll show footage of the actual Paul Levesque and Stephanie McMahon wedding and label it Triple H’ No. 1 career defining moment.” Well done, Jason. Well Done.
When the Trish bit showed up at number 7 I was terrified that the original fake wedding in the Las Vegas driveway and the Katie Vick skit would show up. Thank goodness I was wrong! But the number 1 moment I think was right. DX v WCW and the Evolution formation deserved to be the next two.
Jerry Lawler like many from his era is not going to quit over health issues along with this pandemic he will keep working and not stop doing his job as commentator.
but you can’t run his life for him and tell him what to do. he knows the risk and is willing to take it.
even if WWE let him go because of concerns over his health he will continue to work on the indy scenes.
fans can be concerned for him and that is wonderfull but they can’t tell him what to do. you can only hope and pray he remains healthy.
I can’t tell him what to do, but the company that employs him can. That’s the point. It’s a risk that’s simply not worth taking on a personal or business level. If you can’t see that then I really don’t know what else to tell you.
Tennessee has a stay-at-home order in effect at the moment and WWE has the right, and responsibility, to tell him to stay home.
That’s how reality works.
I wonder if this 2K Battlegrounds game will have 2020 empty arenas for authenticity or if they’ll add fans as if they were there. WrestleMania 36 for example was held from the performance center with no audience. So do you go with that in the game or do you have the WrestleMania 36 arena be what it would have been if not for the pandemic? Perhaps both options and/or the option to have or not have an audience will be available.
It’s a very rushed arcade game, just be hopeful half the roster isn’t hiding behind a Season Pass