By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Raw (Episode 1,459)
Live from Tampa, Florida at Yuengling Center
Aired May 10, 2021 on USA Network
[Hour One] Raw opened with a recap of Bobby Lashley beating Braun Strowman in last week’s main event followed by Drew McIntyre taking out both men with Claymore Kicks… The Raw opening aired… Adnan Virk, Corey Graves, and Byron Saxton checked in on commentary during the entrances for the opening match…
1. Charlotte Flair, Nia Jax, and Shayna Baszler (w/Reginald) vs. Asuka, Mandy Rose, and Dana Brooke. A couple minutes into the match, the two teams jawed at one another. The Firefly Funhouse theme played. Alexa Bliss was swinging on her swing set with Lily on the swing next to her. Bliss said they were keeping an eye on “someone” and then giggled heading into a break. [C]
A graphic listed Jeff Hardy vs. Jinder Mahal for later in the show. Baszler performed a backbreaker on Brooke, then acted like her knee gave out. Asuka tagged in and knocked Jax off the apron, then hit her knee strike finisher on Baszler and pinned her.
Asuka, Mandy Rose, and Dana Brooke defeated Charlotte Flair, Nia Jax, and Shayna Baszler in 8:40.
After the match, Flair put Asuka down with a big boot to the face. Flair’s music played and then Bliss started giggling from the swing set again.
Powell’s POV: I guess the idea is that Lily caused Baszler’s knee to go out? If so, I’d like to borrow Lilly during NFL season.
Highlights aired of Randy Orton and Riddle beating Elias and Jaxson Ryker last week…
Backstage, Riddle approached Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods on his scooter. He said that he and Orton will be an official tag team in a couple weeks. Kingston said every WWE tag team must fill out an official registration form. Riddle joked about what it would be like to see Omos take a tomato to the head and said it would be almost as funny as when Orton got hit a tomato. The camera pulled back to show Orton, who didn’t look happy. Riddle said Orton had to admit that it was pretty funny. Orton said he finds ending careers, setting things on fire, and kicking people in the head to be funny…
The broadcast team hyped the previously advertised eight-man tag match for later in the show… [C]
MVP entered Braun Strowman’s dressing room, where Strowman was talking with a crew member. Strowman told MVP to get out of his locker room. MVP said he wanted to talk business. MVP said McIntyre beat Strowman last week, not Lashley. MVP claimed that Lashley told him that Strowman was the strongest man he’s faced.
MVP also claimed that if Lashley had to lose the WWE Championship, he would rather lose it to Strowman than McIntyre. MVP also noted that if McIntyre couldn’t make it to WrestleMania Backlash, then the WWE Championship match would become a singles match rather than a Triple Threat. Strowman told MVP that he doesn’t like him. MVP said a lot of people feel that way, but he doesn’t take it personally because it’s just business…
The broadcast team spoke at ringside and added Damian Priest vs. The Miz to the pay-per-view lineup…
Backstage, Adam Pearce was talking with Priest when Miz and John Morrison showed up. Morrison dropped more bad Johnny Drip Drip lines. Pearce said Priest gave him an interesting pitch. Miz said Morrison would beat Priest tonight, and then he would beat Priest on Sunday. Priest said the winner of his match with Morrison could pick the stipulation for Sunday’s match. Miz wasn’t happy about it, but Morrison, who now has a “Drip” logo on both sides of his head, agreed to the terms…
Jinder Mahal delivered a promo backstage and introduced Veer and Shanky. He said he would remind everyone why he’s a former WWE Champion. The trio made their entrance for Mahal’s match against Hardy… [C]
2. Jinder Mahal (w/Veer, Shanky) vs. Jeff Hardy. A graphic listed Sheamus vs. Humberto Carrillo for later in the show. Late in the match, Hardy went for a Twist of Fate, but Mahal avoided it and knocked him down with a knee to the head. Mahal hit his Khallas finisher and then scored the pin…
Jinder Mahal defeated Jeff Hardy in 3:25.
Powell’s POV: Indus Sher seemed too green for NXT, but I guess size matters again on the main roster. In fairness, they did replace one of the members, so I guess we’ll see how it goes. Meanwhile, Hardy’s losing ways continue and the broadcast team focussed entirely on Mahal returning despite Hardy being absent in recent weeks.
Backstage, Ryker had a basket of tomatoes. Elias wanted to play a song, but AJ Styles stopped him. Styles, who was accompanied by Omos, said no song and no tomatoes. Omos took one of the tomatoes and crushed it with his hand after saying it would be their opponents…
Riddle made his entrance… [C] The remainder of the entrances for the eight-man tag match were televised…
3. Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, Randy Orton, and Riddle vs. AJ Styles, Omos, Elias, and Jaxson Ryker in an eight-man tag match. Omos tagged in and worked over Riddle, Kingston, and Woods while Orton dropped off the apron and watched from the floor. Orton crawled into the ring and looked up at Omos, then rolled back to ringside. [C] Woods was isolated by the heel team. He eventually made a hot tag to Riddle, who worked over Elias and Ryker.
[Hour Two] Riddle had Elias pinned, but Omos broke it up. Omos threw a punch at Riddle that the broadcast team had to explain away. The New Day duo spun Styles around at ringside, which drew Omos to ringside. Meanwhile, Orton hit an RKO on Elias and pinned him…
Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, Randy Orton, and Riddle beat AJ Styles, Omos, Elias, and Jaxson Ryker in 12:20.
After the match, Riddle raised Orton’s arm until Orton shook his head no. Woods approached Orton and touched his side, which led to Orton dropping him with an RKO. Kingston approached Orton, who put him down with an RKO. Riddle spoke with Orton, who left the ring while Riddle stayed behind and checked on the New Day pair…
Powell’s POV: Orton taking out the New Day after the match was a nice touch. I like that he’s not all smiles and kissing babies despite teaming with Riddle.
Backstage, Sonya Deville was texting when Rhea Ripley arrived. Asuka also showed up. Deville told them that they couldn’t get physical in her office. She booked them in a singles match. Ripley asked who came up with that idea. Deville declined to say. Ripley assumed it was Charlotte Flair, but Deville once again refused to say. Asuka spoke about beating Ripley, who recalled beating her at WrestleMania…
Sheamus made his entrance heading into a break… [C]
Kevin Patrick interviewed Bobby Lashley and MVP in their locker room. Patrick asked MVP what he was hoping to prove in the main event. MVP took exception to the question. Lashley said he beat Strowman last week and he would beat McIntyre again. Patrick said reports indicated that MVP made a business proposition to Strowman. MVP said they don’t comment on business negotiations, but they were ongoing…
Powell’s POV: I guess Patrick doesn’t watch the show or the viewers are the only people who noticed that the cameras were present when MVP approached Strowman earlier. Weird.
Highlights aired of Humberto Carrillo roughing up Sheamus last week. Sheamus stood in the ring and recalled being nudged to issue open challenges for the U.S. Championship. Sheamus said Carrillo was going to try to earn a U.S. Championship match, but he’d get a Brogue Kick to the head. Carrillo made his entrance…
4. U.S. Champion Sheamus vs. Humberto Carrillo in a non-title match. Carrillo dumped Sheamus to ringside, then hit him with a dropkick. Carrillo went for a slide kick, but Sheamus avoided it, pulled him to ringside, and then tossed him into the timekeepers area. [C]
Sheamus dominated Carrillo coming out of the break. He eventually placed him on his shoulders and went to the middle rope. Carrillo fought free and then performed a huracanrana from the ropes. Carrillo performed a sunset flip over the ropes that pulled Sheamus to the floor. Sheamus landed on Carrillo’s left thigh and knee. The referee called off the match.
U.S. Champion Sheamus beat Humberto Carrillo via ref stoppage in roughly 10:00.
After the match, the referee raised the hand of Sheamus and a trainer checked on Carrillo…
Powell’s POV: The finish was botched and it looked like a no-contest, so it was odd to see the referee raise the hand of Sheamus afterward. More importantly, here’s hoping that both men are okay.
A Lucha House Party vignette aired. Lince Dorado spoke in English about inspiring their fans. Gran Metalik spoke in Spanish and subtitles were used. Dorado sat they are always ready to show off out and show off. They both said they are “Lucha Lit”…
Powell’s POV: The Lucha Lit line is corny, but it’s encouraging to see the underutilized tag team get some creative attention.
Cedric Alexander made his entrance. Highlights aired from last week of Alexander cutting a promo on Shelton Benjamin. The broadcast team said they would meet in a singles match… [C]
The Eva Marie sports car vignette aired… Shelton Benjamin made his entrance…
5. Cedric Alexander vs. Shelton Benjamin. The broadcast team played up the idea that Alexander bit off more than he could chew when he cut the promo on Benjamin. Alexander performed a dragon screw leg whip on Benjamin, then followed up with a heel hook. Benjamin countered into a Sharpshooter, but Alexander grabbed the bottom rope to break it.
Alexander kicked Benjamin’s bad knee, then booted him to ringside. Alexander followed up with a suicide dive. Alexander set up for a second suicide dive, but Benjamin caught him with a knee to the head. Back inside the ring, Alexander avoided a Paydirt attempt and kicked the bad knee again. Alexander performed a handspring into the ropes and then blasted Benjamin with a kick. Alexander got cocky, and then Benjamin performed a t-bone suplex and scored the pin.
Shelton Benjamin defeated Cedric Alexander in 4:25.
Powell’s POV: An enjoyable match. It beat the hell out of watching them lose tag matches. It’s just a shame that this was thrown out there without any hype.
Angel Garza was doing a photo shoot when Drew Gulak showed up and took issue with having a rose shoved up his ass. Gulak said that’s never happened to anyone in WWE and he was embarrassed and humiliated. Garza asked him what his point was. He threatened to shove the rose down his throat next time…
Powell’s POV: Stop right there Gulak. The rose down the throat doesn’t sound nearly as bad, but I’m worried that once that happens he’ll do a combo ass to mouth rose stuffing.
Asuka made her entrance… [C] Ripley made her entrance…
6. Raw Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka in a non-title match. Ripley blocked a strike and then slapped Asuka. Ripley taunted Asuka by sticking her jaw out, but Asuka swept her legs instead. Later, Charlotte Flair made her entrance, which distracted Ripley long enough for Asuka to throw a spinning back fist. “I’m just here to watch,” Flair said. [C]
Flair was sitting with the broadcast team coming out of hte break. She said she wanted to see two incredible athletes go at it. Saxton said some people don’t think she belongs in the championship match at the pay-per-view or think she should have been reinstated.
In the ring, there was a rough spot when Asuka went for a Codebreaker and it looked like Ripley was supposed to catch her, but she dropped her awkwardly to the mat, then threw a kick at her when she stood up. Asuka came back and covered Ripley for a two count.
[Hour Three] Asuka ended up at ringside in front of Flair. Ripley followed and headbutted Asuka, then threw her back inside the ring. A short time later, Ripley ended up face to face with Flair when Asuka hit Ripley with a Hip Attack and then rolled her back inside the ring. Asuka performed a missile dropkick for a two count. Ripley caught Asuka going for another Hip attack in the corner. Ripley followed up with a kick to the head and hit her Riptide finisher before scoring the pin…
Raw Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley defeated Asuka in 12:35 in a non-title match.
Powell’s POV: It was a pleasant surprise to see Ripley get a clean pin. I didn’t expect that happen with the Triple Threat coming up on Sunday. I really like the revamped Flair character. But now the creative team needs to dedicate more time to fleshing out the Ripley character.
Drew McIntyre was interviewed backstage by Kevin Patrick. McIntyre said he heard about MVP’s proposition to Strowman. He said that if it happens, he’s cool. He said he can’t worry about that because he needed to focus on doing what he couldn’t do at WrestleMania by connecting with a Claymore Kick…
John Morrison and The Miz made their entrance… [C] Graves plugged that “Army of the Dead” is sponsoring WrestleMania Backlash, but he didn’t mention that the movie stars Batista… Damian Priest made his entrance…
7. Damian Priest vs. John Morrison (w/The Miz). The winner chooses the stipulation for Priest vs. Miz at WrestleMania Backlash. Early in the match, Morrison threw a knee to the face of the seated Priest and covered him for a two count. Priest rallied and squared off with Miz at ringside. Miz was removing his dress attire heading into a break. [C]
Priest performed a broken arrow and a spinning kick from the top rope and picked up a pair of near falls. Priest set up for another move, but Morrison rolled him into a pin for a near fall of his own. Priest blocked a running knee attempt. Morrison countered out of a Priest move and had him pinned, but Miz was distracting the referee. Priest finished off Morrison with Hit The Lights.
Damian Priest defeated John Morrison in 13:20.
After the match, Miz attacked Priest, who stuffed a Skull Crushing Finale attempt. Miz avoided a big boot, then left the ring and ran to the stage. Priest hit another move on Morrison and then glared at Miz…
Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre were shown warming up in separate locations. Braun Strowman arrived in Lashley’s locker room and went face to face with him… [C]
Powell’s POV: Why is it that John Morrison can only win matches when The Miz is distracting a referee? And is it really helping Priest to show that he would lose to Morrison, who never beats anyone, if it wasn’t for Miz distracting referees? By the way, we had a brief server issue that is obviously resolved now that you’re able to read this.
A new Eva Marie vignette aired. She spoke about how she’s seen levels of fame and fortune that she never could have imagined when she started her career. She said she considers herself a super role model. She said everyone wants that one perfect picture, but they don’t realize that it can take 99 bad ones to get there. She was still listed as coming soon…
Backstage, Priest told Pearce that he wants the stipulation for his match with The Miz to be a lumberjack match. He explained that Miz tries to run away whenever he faces him, so he wants to prevent him from having an escape…
Powell’s POV: A lumberjack match? What could possibly go wrong for Priest?
The broadcast team ran through the pay-per-view lineup… Bobby Lashley and MVP made their entrance for the main event… [C] Charlotte Flair, Braun Strowman, and Jinder Mahal were listed as the guests for Raw Talk… Drew McIntyre made his entrance…
8. WWE Champion Bobby Lashley (w/MVP) vs. Drew McIntyre in a non-title match. Lashley dodged a Claymore Kick attempt when the bell rang and went for his Hurt Lock finisher, but McIntyre avoided it. Braun Strowman was shown watching the match on a backstage monitor (while presumably having deep thoughts about tuna salad). The match spilled to ringside where McIntyre performed a suplex. [C]
McIntyre powered up Lashley and dropped him with an impressive vertical suplex. Lashley came back at ringside where he ran McIntyre’s head into the ring post. Back inside the ring, Lashley went for a spear, but McIntyre moved and tossed him into the corner.
McIntyre and Lashley traded punches. McIntyre suplexed Lashley twice and put him down with a neckbreaker. McIntyre put Lashley down with a spinebuster for a two count. Lashley came back with a cross body block and went for the Hurt Lock, but McIntyre avoided it.
Lashley suplexed McIntyre, who got up and blasted him with a Claymore Kick. Braun Strowman’s entrance music played. McIntyre watched the entrance, but Strowman attacked him from behind for the DQ.
Drew McIntyre defeated Bobby Lashley by DQ in 13:25 in a non-title match.
Strowman powerslammed McIntyre. Strowman approached Lashley, who hugged him. Strowman played along, then gave him a powerslam. Strowman hoisted up McIntyre and gave him another powerslam.
Strowman told MVP that he should bust his head, but instead he’d make him watch while he busted his boy. Strowman slammed Lashley through the ringside barricade. Strowman returned to the ring and barked to McIntyre that he’s the monster. Strowman gave McIntyre a third powerslam to close the show…
Powell’s POV: A strong match and a good closing angle. Strowman needed the big boost going into the show, as his character felt like the weak link in the Triple Threat. Overall, we saw more baby steps this week. The creative forces have done a better job of filling the three hours over the last couple of weeks and seem to be doing more with acts such as Lucha House Party, Humberto Carrillo, Cedric Alexander, and Shelton Benjamin. I will return shortly with my weekly same night audio review of Raw. Let me know what you thought of the show by giving it a letter grade below.
Join me for my live review of WWE WrestleMania Backlash on Sunday.
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