Monday Night Raw TV Report for April 11th, 2016
An “In Memoriam” graphic appears first, remembering the very-recent death of Robert Windham, a.k.a. “Blackjack Mulligan,” 1942 – 2016.
Introduction Segment: Welcoming and Arena Promo
Michael Cole greets us from L.A., and Shane McMahon makes his way to the ring. a “tweet” from WWE announces Shane is still in control of Raw. McMahon talks about new beginnings on Raw, which start with Natalya taking on Women’s Champion Charlotte for the title tonight! As well, a Tag-Team Tournament will happen to determine who meets The New Day for the Tag-Team Championship; and Sami Zayn will get another chance at becoming #1 Contender for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, as he will wrestle A.J. Styles tonight! If Sami wins, then Sami will take part in a Triple-Threat match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against A.J. and WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns, taking place at Payback on May 1st.
Kevin Owens interrupts and protests Zayn’s opportunity and the fact he has not gotten his automatic rematch for the Intercontinental Championship; Owens orders Shane to give it to him, but “The Boss” says he has to “earn” it. He books Owens to meet Cesaro in a #1 Contender’s bout, commencing immediately!
Commercials.
Match #1: Single (#1 Contender’s Bout to the Intercontinental Championship) – Kevin Owens VS. Cesaro
Owens ducks out of the ring and Cesaro taps him on his shoulder; they trade waistlocks, and Kevin breaks on the outside. Intercontinental Champion The Miz, with his real-life wife and superstar Maryse, is shown backstage watching.
Cesaro side-headlock takedowns Owens, but Kevin hammers back and grabs Cesaro in a standing side headlock, and yelling “I have the best headlock; headlock master!” Cesaro regains for a bit, but Owens takes control, focussing on Cesaro’s taped-up shoulder. He runs Cesaro into the ring post and kicks away at his shoulder in the ring. He clamps on an armlock and flips Cesaro over by the arm. He goes back to the arm submission to wear Cesaro down.
Kevin gets thrown into the corner, and Cesaro follows with an uppercut. He moves before Owens can hit him in the corner, then follows with back-and-forth uppercuts in the corners, and a smacking-dropkick! 1 – 2 – kickout by Owens! Cesaro is run into the turnbuckle bad shoulder-first again.
Ads.
We come back and see a replay of Cesaro giving Kevin a gutwrench-suplex from the turnbuckle, but Owens has taken over now. He punches Cesaro, but Cesaro uppercuts back. He is whipped over the ropes, but lands on his feet, then soars off the top turnbuckle with a crossbody. Kevin rolled-through and locks on a Crossface Submission. Cesaro struggles and turns it into a roll-up then a Sharpshooter! Owens hits a superkick and climbs the turnbuckle; he dives off with a Frogsplash! 1 – 2 – Cesaro just gets his shoulder up!
Kevin goes for the Pop-Up Powerbomb, but Cesaro hops over and hits a springboard-spinning-uppercut from the second rope! He swings Owens a couple times, but his shoulder or ribs (as J.B.L. speculated) has affected him. Owens goes for the Pop-Up Powerbomb again, but Cesaro reverses and rolls into the Neutralizer! He covers for the victory!
Winner and #1 Contender for the Intercontinental Championship: Cesaro
Segment #2: Backstage Promo
Women’s Champion Charlotte is chatting with her father, Ric Flair, on why she has to be in a title match already. Flair concurs, and says if The Authority were at Raw, this would not have happened. Special Guest Dr. Phil joins them to give advice. He is “proud” of what Charlotte has accomplished, and gives props to Ric for helping her along, but tells her she needs to split from him, as he now cheats for her to win. Flair attempts to get in his face after Charlotte walks away, but Phil “whoos” Flair instead!
Segment #3: Backstage Promo
Kevin Owens is berating Shane for his recent losses, but Shane won’t hear it and tells Kevin he is banned from the building, so not to risk him messing with Sami Zayn again.
Commercials.
Segment #4: Arena Promo
Tag-Team Championship The New Day strut to the ring; they talk about the Tag-Team Tournament, and wonder who will be the team to meet them. Xavier says the teams won’t actually thrive, but “it will sure be fun to watch them try!”
The Lucha Dragons are going to start off the tournament against The Dudleyz, next!
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Match #2: Tag-Team (#1 Contender’s Tournament to the Tag Team Championship) – The Lucha Dragons (United States Champion Kalisto and Sin Cara) VS. The Dudley Boyz (Bubba-Ray and D-Von)
Kalisto appears to be hurt, as the referee and Cara call for a ringside doctor. D-Von hits Sin and puts him in the ring; a replay is shown of Kalisto tumbling to the floor and getting a clothesline from D-Von. The Dudleyz govern over Cara while Kalisto is being checked on; they finish this quickly with a 3-D.
Winners and Advancing: The Dudley Boyz
Post-match, Enzo and Cass walk to the stage. After their usual mike work, Bubba will have none of them. He declares “we paved the way for guys like you.” D-Von tells them they’re “not the best tag-team in this business; the only reason why you exist is because of us.” Of course, Enzo replies with the biological reason he exists, and Cass threatens to stomps through them like a jackhammer! He calls The Boyz “S-A-W-F-T!”
Commercials.
Kevin Owens is shown being lead out of the building by “security.”
Segment #5: Arena Promo
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns is out. Again, he calls himself “The Guy,” citing that he’s “not a good guy,” or a “bad guy.” Reigns addresses both Styles and Zayn, both of who could be his opponents for Payback. He says he has “a lot of respect” because of what they have done around the world, but they have yet to win “THE Championship.
The League of Nations – Alberto Del Rio, Sheamus, and Rusev – walk out. They voices their angst over not being involved in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship decision last week; all three warn Roman they can harm him. Reigns challenges them to prove it, but the lights go out after a Wyatt Family video and Bray, Erik Rowan, and Braun Strowman appear in the ring!
The Wyatts and The League brawl, with Roman helping The Wyatts. Shane walks out and likes what he saw, so he makes tonight’s main-event a Tag-Team Match between Bray and Reigns vs. two members of The Nations.
Ads.
Match #3: Single for the Women’s Championship – Natalya (Challenger) VS. Charlotte (with Ric Flair) (Champion)
(Note: Dr. Phil is out to observe.) Charlotte tries to sweep Natalya, but Nattie rolls around with a front-facelock and backs into a corner. Charlotte bumps her and they lockup. Natalya takes her down by the leg, but Charlotte kicks out, literately at Natalya’s head. Natalya hops on Charlotte in a guillotine position, but Charlotte slams her down. Nattie manages an armbar, which Charlotte has to get to the ropes to break. Natalya slams Charlotte face-first in the ring, then gives her a running front-dropkick! Charlotte chops back and gives Nattie a neckbreaker; she drops repeated knees, then chokes her with her knee.
Ads.
Charlotte has Nattie locked in a Figure-4 Necklock after ramming her head into the canvas. She flips Natalya over a couple times, but Nattie reverses into another armbar. Charlotte works her way out of it into a Figure-4, then slaps her while in the submission. Natalya turns over, making Charlotte crawl to the rope. The Women’s Champ sweeps up Natalya, this time trapping her in The Sharpshooter! Natalya rolls over to break, but is in pain.
Charlotte chops hard, but Natalya hits a few hard forearms and then a German-Suplex! She tries again, but Charlotte flips her over. Nattie hits back with a Discus Clothesline! She tries The Sharpshooter, but Charlotte hits her in the face. She rolls up Nattie for two, then kicks her hard in the head. She follows with an exploder-suplex, then ascends the turnbuckle after walking over Natalya! She moonsaults, but Natalya rolls! Natalya rotates the Women’s Champ into a Sharpshooter; Charlotte taps! However, the referee is pulled form the ring by Flair, so he doesn’t see the give-in, and instead calls for the bell on a dq.
Winner via Disqualification: Natalya (Charlotte remains Women’s Champion)
Post-match, Byron Saxton interviews Dr. Phil; he is not happy with Charlotte choosing to use her father to win, but is happy with how the Women’s Division is overall.
Segment #6: Backstage Promo
Rene Young is with Sami Zayn, who gives a usual face talk about his #1 Contender chance; A.J. Styles walks up and proclaims that, while he is happy they are both where they are now, he is going to stay the only #1 contender.
Commercials.
The Usos make their entrance and will be wrestling next!
Match #4: Tag-Team (#1 Contender’s Tournament to the Tag Team Championship) – The Usos (Jimmy and Jey) VS. The Social Outcasts (Curtis Axel and Heath Slater) (with Social Outcast members Adam Rose and Bo Dallas)
Jimmy and Jey get the 1 – 2 – 3 after a roll-up and The Outcasts distract themselves!
Winners and Advancing: The Usos
Post-match, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows (former WWE Superstar) attack The Usos and are forced to leave by referees!
Segment #7: Locker Room Promo
Maryse is barking at an assistant, who didn’t take out the blue M&M’s in Miz’s candy bowl! Jojo interviews Maryse and The Miz, where Miz puts over his “A-List” endeavors; Cesaro walks up and promises to give him many uppercuts at Payback!
A.J. Styles enters to face Sami Zayn, next!
Ads.
Match #5: Single (#1 Contender’s Bout to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship) – A.J. Styles VS. Sami Zayn
They test each other first, then Sami locks on A.J.’s wrist. Styles switches it into an armlock of his own, but Zayn gives him a side-headlock takedown, and A.J. does the same! They test again, but Sami turns into a couple roll-ups for ones! Both trade wristlocks again and flip around, then Zayn spins Style with a couple of armdrags.
Another elbow-collar tie-up ensue, but A.J. flips Zayn over this time, however Sami chops Styles hard in the corner. A.J. leapfrogs over Sami and hits a hard-dropkick, then chops in the corner. He hits a forearm and a snap-suplex, but only gets one. Styles stretches Sami’s chin, then forearms him again to the outside. A.J. slingshots to the apron, then gives Zayn a running-knee!
Zayn hops over and they trade position, then Sami pulls down the top rope, letting A.J. tumble to the floor; he follows with a Swanton-Dive onto Styles!
Commercials.
Styles is wearing Sami down with a grounding rear chinlock, then numerous hits and a splashing-clothesline! He drops Sami with the fireman’s-carry-kneebuster, but only gets two! A.J. goes for the Styles Clash, but Zayn reverses it into an awkward-looking inside cradle! For two! He springs from the second turnbuckle to the top and soars into a crossbody for a near-fall! He follows that with a springboard-tornado-DDT for two!
Zayn goes for a half-nelson suplex, but A.J. elbows and hits the Pele Kick! A.J. rolls to the apron and uses the ropes to help himself; he slingshots, but Sami ducks and spins Styles around with the Blue Thunder Bomb! 1 – 2 – 2-and-a-half – A.J. lifts his shoulder!
“The Phenomenal One” suddenly traps Zayn in the Calf-Crusher, but Sami manages to reach the bottom rope to stop the submission! A.J. climbs the turnbuckle, but Sami cuts him off and meets him up there. He tries a suplex, but Styles stops. He goes for a sunset-flip powerbomb, but Zayn awkwardly lands on his head and feet. He runs back and runs forward for the Helluva Kick, but A.J. blocks with a kick. He springboards off the top rope with the Phenomenal Forearm and takes this!
Winner and Sole #1 Contender to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship – A.J. Styles
Chris Jericho is walking backstage and appears to be out, next!
Ads.
Segment #8: Backstage Promo
A.J. and Sami are discussing their match when Shane walks up and puts over the “awesome” (quoting Shane) contest! A.J. and Sami shake hands.
Segment #9: Arena Promo
Chris Jericho presents “the biggest ‘Highlight Reel’ of all time.” He brings out his guest, “a multiple-time World Champion, he’s main-evented WrestleManias, he’s a future Hall of Famer.” Jericho’s guest is himself!
“Y2J” interviews himself, and puts himself over many times and doesn’t know anyone else who is better. “The Lunatic Fringe” might answer that, as he walks out with a plant and sign in hand. Dean Ambrose meets Chris in the ring, which perplexes the host. Ambrose begins to rearrange Jericho’s set, and gives Chris with a memo from Shane McMahon, stating that the “Highlight Reel” is being taken over by the “Ambrose Asylum.”
Dean turns the tables on Jericho, but Chris doesn’t care, and demands Ambrose leave. Dean responds with a Dirty Deeds DDT after Jericho swiped the mike.
Up next, Apollo Crews is in action!
Commercials.
It is announced that The Golden Truth will take on The Vaudevillians, and Enzo and Cass will meet The Ascension in the Tag-Team Title Tournament this week on Smackdown!
Segment #10: Locker Room Promo
Goldust is not pleased with R-Truth putting them in the Tag-Team Title Tournament; Dr. Phil walks up, but doesn’t even say a word and walks away. (That was genuinely funny!)
Match #6: Single – Social Outcast member Adam Rose (with Social Outcast member Bo Dallas) VS. Apollo Crews
Rose surprisingly controls a good bit of this until Crews makes a comeback and finishes with the Spin-Out Powerbomb!
Winner via Pinfall: Apollo Crews
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Segment #11: Video Promo
Epico and Primo talk about Puerto Rico
Segment #12: Video Promo
A montage of Baron Corbin’s career in NXT and what he has done at Wrestlemania and Raw is shown.
Segment #13: Video Promo
“We are destined to dance with one another until the end of time. And although you are my mortal enemy, and I despise everything that you stand for Roman, it appears that we have a holy bond that can never be broken. And I know what you’re thinking, but don’t worry Roman, you can trust me.” Bray laugh and informs L.A. that he’s “here.”
Commercials.
Match #7: Tag-Team – Bray Wyatt and WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns VS. The League of Nations (Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus) (with League of Nations member Rusev)
Wyatt and Sheamus begin, with Bray controlling with a shoulder block, punches, and a clothesline. He kicks, then crab-walks to scare Sheamus! Bray pounds on Sheamus in his and Reigns’ corner, then Roman is tagged. Both kick and punch Sheamus, then Roman clotheslines Sheamus numerous times! Bray tags himself in, but Sheamus punches back until he receives a hard clothesline!
Alberto is tagged in, and he and Sheamus work over Bray for a bit until “The Eater of Worlds” makes the hot-tag to Roman! He hammers away on Sheamus and signals for the Superman Punch, but Sheamus goes to the outside, where The League go after. Sheamus runs Roman into the ring post, and he and Del Rio control again for a bit.
Roman eventually is able to make the hot-tag, and Wyatt dismantles The League! He winds up as the crowd is going ape in a good-way for him! He tries Sister Abigail, but Del Rio stops. Bray hits a running crossbody-elbow, but Sheamus breaks the pin. Roman hits Sheamus to the outside and follows with a Superman Punch attempt, but Sheamus blocks. The League almost get the W after a Backstabber by Alberto, then The Wyatt Family video plays and the lights are out! They come back on and Erik and Braun take out Rusev!
Del Rio goes back into the ring, where he is planted with Sister Abigail for the victory as Roman Spears Sheamus!
Winners via Pinfall: Bray Wyatt and WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns
Post-match, Roman and Bray stare each other down face-to-face to close the show!
End of Raw.
