Monday Night Raw TV Report for April 4th, 2016 – “A Fresh Start”
Introduction Segment: Video Promo and Welcoming
Highlights of WrestleMania 32 air, then the regular Raw video plays and the pyro goes off in the American Airlines Arena. Michael Cole, John “Bradshaw” Layfield, and Byron Saxton welcomes us to the city of WrestleMania, Dallas, Texas. They put over the “crazy” post-WrestleMania crowd that has developed over the last few years.
Segment #2: Arena Promo
Mr. McMahon walks out to talk about his son, Shane McMahon. He is happy that Shane didn’t win, because he says that Shane showed the reckless capability he has, which concerns him because Shane may have used that for running Monday Night Raw too.
Shane walks out, to a massive pop and “you still got it chants.” He has two announcements – to shake Vince’s hand and say he won, like a man; and to say “goodbye.” Vince is displeased with Shane trying to “upstage” him, so he gives him the power for tonight only!
Tag-Team Champions The New Day are out and cut a promo about “Booty-O”s” and their “WrestleMania Moments.” They will be in action, as they put their titles on the line, next!
Commercials.
Match #1: Tag-Team for the Tag-Team Championship – The New Day (Big E. and Kofi Kingston) (with New Day member Xavier Woods) (Champions) VS. The League of Nations (Wade Barrett and Sheamus) (with League of Nations members Rusev and Alberto Del Rio) (Challengers)
Kofi and Sheamus start, struggling with a lockup until Sheamus kicks Kofi. He tries a clothesline, but Kingston slides under and hits a dropkick, and then tosses Sheamus to the floor. Big hurls Barrett then helps Kofi dive onto both League of Nations members. Kingston’s attention is caught, allowing Rusev to interfere and Wade to take over.
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Sheamus is in and drops Kofi over his knee, then follows the crowd with a wave. Kofi shoves off and leaps onto Sheamus to the mat. He crawls and makes the hot-tag to E; he belly-to-belly suplexes Barrett three times and splashes him. He runs at Wade but is hit with a knee, however, shoves him into Sheamus. New Day drives Barrett with their Big Ending to get the victory!
Winners via Pinfall and STILL Tag-Team Champions: The New Day
Post-match, Sheamus is ticked-off because The League is not as dominate; he says “you’re only as strong as your ‘weakest link.’” Rusev and Alberto hold up Barrett while Sheamus gives him a Brogue Kick! Suddenly, The Wyatt Family’s video starts and they appear in the ring, destroying the entire League! Bray plants Sheamus with Sister Abigail and tells everyone to “follow the buzzards,” to loud “thank you, Wyatts!”
Commercials.
Segment #4: Backstage Promo
Rene Young catches up with Mr. McMahon; she asks him why he is leaving. Vince tells her he does not want to see the “disaster” that Raw is going to be.
Match #2: Single – Summer Rae VS. Sasha Banks
Banks slaps Summer hard at first, but receives a spin-kick and slap in retaliation. Sasha pushes Rae into the corner and drives her to the canvas with double-knees. Summer tries a roll-up, which Banks reverses into the Banks Statement that forces Summer to tap!
Winner via Submission: Sasha Banks
Up next, former NXT Star Apollo Crews will make his Raw debut!
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Match #3: Single – Tyler Breeze VS. Apollo Crews
They lockup and Apollo counters a standing-side headlock into a wristlock. He amazingly flips over and lands on his feet, then powerslams Tyler! He is kicked back, but Breeze’s control doesn’t last for long; Apollo overtakes and finishes Breeze with a gorilla press, standing moonsault, and spin-out powerbomb!
Winner via Pinfall: Apollo Crews
Later tonight, Women’s Champion Charlotte will be presented with her new title; up next, new WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns will be out for an address.
Commercials.
Segment #5: Arena Promo
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns saunters out and acknowledges the fans’ dislike. It doesn’t matter though, as Reigns declares himself “the guy.” He says he told Shane McMahon that he’ll let anybody take a shot, so he waits upon his next challenger.
Chris Jericho is the one to answer, then A.J. Styles, Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn! The four brawl while Roman looks on; Jericho is left in the ring to eat a Spear!
Later tonight, The Dudleyz and The Usos will face-off again in a Tables Match!
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Segment #6: Backstage Promo
Shane McMahon congratulates Roman on capturing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship; he tells him there will be a Fatal-4-Way to determine who will be his next challenger, between A.J. Styles, Sami Zayn, Chris Jericho, and Kevin Owens.
Match #4: Single – Baron Corbin VS. Dolph Ziggler
Corbin grabs Dolph and chucks him into the corner and punishes Dolph throughout. He forearms a leaping Ziggler from the apron to the floor!
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Baron is still dominating until Dolph elbows back, and Corbin runs into the ring post. Ziggler follows with a couple of splashes and a face-buster. “The Show-Off” signs for the superkick, but Baron spins him around; Dolph counters with the Fameasser for a near-fall! Ziggler tries a Zig-Zag but is pushed off. Corbin tornadoes Dolph with Deep Six, a spinning side-slam! 1 – 2 – Ziggler gets his shoulder up!
On the outside, Baron boots Dolph into the crowd and stalks. He throws Ziggler into trashcans and the bell rings.
Winner: None due to Referee Stoppage
Post-match, Baron warns the referee “this is on you!” He continues to assault Dolph, flipping him with his End of Days finisher on the floor by the ring.
Up next, we will look at Dean Ambrose VS. Brock Lesnar from WrestleMania.
Commercials.
Segment #7: Video Promo
Still-pictures of Ambrose and Lesnar’s bout at ‘Mania are shown.
Segment #8: Arena Promo
Brand-new Intercontinental Champion Zack Ryder struts to the ring; he soaks in the adoration of the fans and gives props to his Dad for being there for him. A picture of him as a child with Razor Ramon’s I.C. Title, and a picture of Razor Ramon with his I.C. Title is shown too.
The Miz interrupts and berates Ryder for the way he won the title and stealing his “WrestleMania moment.” Miz eggs him on enough to challenge for the Intercontinental Championship!
Match #6: Single for the Intercontinental Championship – Zack Ryder (Champion) VS. The Miz (Challenger)
An elbow/collar tie-up starts, then Miz gives Zack a shoulder-block, but Ryder hits a dropkick back. He gains momentum and gives Miz a front-running-dropkick from the ring to the floor!
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Miz is now in control and mount-punches Ryder; they battle atop the turnbuckle and Ryder pushes Miz off, following with an elbow! 1 – 2 – Miz places his foot on the ropes to break. Zack gears up but Miz boots him.
On the floor, Miz gets into a confrontation with Ryder’s father, who shoves Miz after Miz shoved him. From out of the other side of the crowd walks Maryse – Miz’s wife – and also gets into a verbal joust with Mr. Ryder. This distracts Zack, who is grabbed from behind by Miz and dropped with the Skull-Krushing Finale. Miz covers and wins!
Winner via Pinfall and NEW Intercontinental Champion: The Miz
Post-match, Maryse and Miz celebrate while Zack and Mr. Ryder glare.
Segment #8: Backstage Promo
Rene inquires Kevin Owens about tonight’s Fatal-4-Way. He declares that he will end the “Roman Empire.”
Commercials.
Segment #9: Video Promo
Highlights of The Vaudevillians – Simon Gotch and Aiden English – from NXT air; they will make their debut this week on Smackdown!
Segment #10: Arena Promo
Hall-of-Famer Lita and most of the women wrestlers are in the ring; they are there to officially give Charlotte the new Women’s Championship. Charlotte and her father, Ric Flair, walk out. Charlotte puts over the women behind her, amid “women’s wrestling” chants, and then she puts herself over big-time, to the chagrin of the rest of the women, especially Becky Lynch.
The women walk out, except for Natalya, who goes at it with Charlotte and tries a Sharpshooter on her, but Ric pulls his daughter out of the ring. Natalya stares at them.
Segment #11: Backstage Promo
A.J. Styles tells Rene Young that “change” is in the air, as he is in WWE to be the Champion; he calls it “The Phenomenal Era.”
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Match #7: Tag-Team (Tables Rules) – The Usos (Jimmy and Jey) VS. The Dudley Boyz (Bubba-Ray and D-Von)
All four fight for a bit until a “What’s Up” headbutt is hit by The Dudleyz. Bubba and D-Von go for the tables, but The Usos recover and rocket over the top rope with planchas!
Commercials.
Jimmy and Jey are now in control and superkick/splash combo Bubba. They setup tables in the ring, but miss a splash and go through the tables themselves! The bell rings, but Bubba chucks an Uso through the table in the corner, then the bell and official announcement is made.
Winners via Putting Opponents Through A Table: The Dudley Boyz
Post-match, Bubba is mad at the mistaken finish.
Segment #12: Backstage Promo
Sami Zayn is interviewed about his placing in the Fatal-4-Way. He doesn’t get too far before being attacked by Kevin Owens, who powerbombs him through a table!
Commercials.
Segment #13: Arena Promo
The Dudleyz are still out, and stopped by a new team – Enzo Amore and Colin Cassidy of NXT! They make their grand entrance, then take verbal shots at Bubba and D-Von. The fans are totally into them! Enzo and Cass want them to “come down to this ring.” The Boyz oblige, but back away when they get to the apron. Cass calls them “S – A – W – F – T” which is “Sawft!”
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It is announced that Zack Ryder will challenge The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship this week on Smackdown!; and that Dr. Phil will be a “guest star” of Raw next week.
A.J. Styles, Chris Jericho, and Kevin Owens make their entrance; Lillian Garcia – the ring announcer – tell us that Sami Zayn has “not been medically cleared” for the match, so a replacement is named. Please welcome back ….
Cesaro!
Match #8: Fatal-4-Way – A.J. Styles VS. Chris Jericho VS. Kevin Owens VS. Cesaro
A.J. and Jericho go at it while Cesaro and Owens tangle. Kevin and Chris are tossed to the floor, leaving a great face-off between Cesaro and Styles! A.J. dropkicks Cesaro after they skip around each other, but he is soon caught in a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker!
Commercials.
Jericho and A.J. are in the ring, with Jericho suplexing Styles. He presses Styles’ neck against the middle rope and chops on Cesaro before chucking him outside. A.J. follows up with hard punches in the corner on Jericho, but “Y2J” hits back and dropkicks. Chris and A.J. stand on the turnbuckle, Owens joins and Cesaro brings all of them down with a Tower of Doom suplex/powerbomb combo!
Cesaro goes uppercuts, but is booted hard by Owens. He hits another one on Styles and almost takes this! Cesaro is dumped to the floor by Chris, but Jericho is package-powerbombed by Owens for a near-fall! Kevin misses the Cannonball corner splash, but blocks a Lionsault attempt! A.J. follows with a springboard-450 onto Jericho but his pin is stopped!
Owens yells at Styles, but Cesaro soars off the top turnbuckle with a crossbody! He repeatedly uppercuts A.J. and Owens in the corners, then hits Chris with one too! All three opponents for Cesaro are in corners, where he hits them all with uppercuts. He goes for a final on Jericho, but “Y2J” counters with a kick. Chris dives off the second turnbuckle, but Cesaro catches him for ten swings!
Owens stops both Cesaro and A.J. with kicks, and slams Styles with the Pop-Up Powerbomb! He covers, but Jericho breaks it before three! “Y2J” drives Owens into his knees with the Codebreaker, but Cesaro stops the pin!
Cesaro and Jericho battle back-and-forth, and Jericho rolls through into a Walls of Jericho; Cesaro turns that into a Sharpshooter, but A.J. springboards off the rope with the Phenomenal Forearm! He hits a Pele Kick on Owens, but just gets his shoulder up after a Codebreaker by Jericho!
A.J. and Chris wrestle and Styles reverses Jericho into the Styles Clash! He covers and gets the victory!
Winner and NEW #1 Contender for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship: A.J. Styles!
A.J. celebrates as the commentators put him and his upcoming WWE World Heavyweight Championship match with Roman Reigns over to close the show!
End of Raw.
