Monday Night Raw TV Report for April 18th, 2016 – “Overseas, Overwhelmed”
Introduction Segment: Welcoming and Arena Promo
The regular Raw video plays, and the pyro goes off in the 02 Arena. We are greeted from London, England, then Dean Ambrose’s music plays. It is time for the second edition of “The Ambrose Asylum.”
Dean ponders what is newsworthy, and pokes fun at Braun Strowman. He gives credit to talk show hosts Jimmy Fallon (The Tonight Show, U.S.), and James Corden (The Late Late Show with James Corden, U.S.), and points out James’ parents in the front row.
Ambrose then brings out his guest, the man in charge of Raw again, Shane McMahon! The fans chant “you still got it,” and Dean airs the dive Shane performed from the top of the cell at WrestleMania. Ambrose inquires McMahon what is on his agenda, and Shane gives props to the crowd; he says it is because of the fans that A.J. Styles, Sasha Banks, Sami Zayn, and are getting chances now.
Kevin Owens interrupts and questions Shane on why he got kicked out of Raw last week. Shane says it was so Owens didn’t interfere in Sami Zayn’s match for a World Heavyweight Championship opportunity. Kevin says that Zayn has followed him all his career, but Sami now joins and tells Kevin that he joined WWE first, and Owens is really the one who follow pursed him.
Chris Jericho also interjects and babbles on about being “The Best In The World,” and that Shane is against him. McMahon books Jericho VS. Ambrose, and Owens VS. Zayn at Payback on May 1, then leaves.
The four men left go at it, with Dean and Sami dumping Jericho and Owens to the outside.
Commercials.
Match #1: Single – Sami Zayn VS. Chris Jericho
Both miss each other, and then Sami armdrags Jericho a couple times, and locks in an armbar. Chris chops out of it then slaps Sami on the head; Zayn springboards back and kicks Jericho for a one-count. “Y2J” misses a corner-springboard dropkick, and Sami follows with a springboard-moonsault to the outside (just tagging him and no more).
In the ring, Jericho dives off the top turnbuckle, but Zayn punches him in the gut. He goes for a walk-up-the-turnbuckle, but Chris cuts him off, crotching Sami on the top rope, and taking control. He reverses an Irish Whip and dropkicks Sami, forcing Zayn to roll to the floor.
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Jericho is still dominant, snap-suplexing Sami in the ring for two. He wears Zayn down with a grounding rear chinlock, but Sami battles back with a three clotheslines! He elbows Jericho out of the corner then rockets from the turnbuckle with a crossbody for a near-fall! A bit later, he props his knees up to block a Lionsault attempt, then just about takes this after the Blue Thunder Bomb!
Zayn climbs the turnbuckle, but is met with a dropkick midair. Jericho turns Sami over into the Walls of Jericho; Zayn struggles but manages to clasp the bottom rope! He follows by tossing Jericho to the floor, then gearing up for a dive. Jericho walks away, but Sami soars through the corner onto Chris with a Tornado-DDT!
Sami measures Jericho in the ring for the Helluva Kick, but Jericho cowers and then pokes Zayn in the eye; he runs at Sami and drives him down with a Codebreaker, then covers for the victory!
Winner via Pinfall: Chris Jericho
Later tonight, Kevin Owens will wrestle Dean Ambrose; up next Enzo and Cass face The Dudleyz in the Tag-Team Championship #1 Contender’s Tournament!
Commercials.
Segment #2: Backstage Promo
Smackdown! announcer Mauro Ranallo is with A.J. Styles, who will wrestle WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns at Payback for the championship. Before A.J. can start, his friends from New Japan, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, greet him. Mauro leaves, giving the trio a chance to reminisce and walk away together.
Match #2: Tag-Team (Tag-Team Championship #1 Contender’s Tournament, Semi-Final) – Enzo and Big Cass VS. The Dudley Boyz (Bubba-Ray and D-Von)
Enzo and D-Von begin with a lockup. D-Von pummels Enzo in the corner, but Amore quickly punches back. D-Von tags in Bubba, who axe-handles Enzo and takes over.
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Amore tries to antagonize Bubba, but he just gets turned around with a shoulder-block. The Dudleyz continue to govern. Bubba goes for a senton-splash, but Enzo moves and makes the hot-tag to Cass. The 7-Footer clears house of The Dudleyz, then switches with Enzo, and they finish “the brothers” with their Rocket Launcher double-team move!
Winners and Advancing To Finals via Pinfall: Enzo and Big Cass
Up next, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns will be out!
Commercials.
Segment #3: Arena Promo
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns poses on the stage with the title, unfortunately to many boos. He puts over A.J. Styles for being a “great technical wrestler,” but vows to bring “the big fight” to A.J. and anyone else. “This is the era of the ‘Roman Empire,’ and we’re here to stay.”
His challenger, Styles, joins him in the ring. “The Phenomenal One” tells the WWE World Heavyweight Champion that he will have “the match of his life,” because he has been doing that all his career, and their match at Payback will be another one, that will “make me the champion.” Reigns replies that he “feel everything you just said,” and agrees; Roman himself likes A.J., but declares that the people will finally respect him after he defeats Styles, and all he wants is respect by being the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. A.J. retorts that he’d rather be both liked and respected as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
Styles leaves, but Roman stays in the ring, where he is suddenly attacked by Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows! They plant Reigns with a double-team move of a big-boot into a fireman’s-carry-flapjack!
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Segment #4: Backstage Promo
Roman is slowly walking through the halls when announcer Rich Brennan approaches, asking Reigns about the blind-sided attack. A.J. walks up and denies he knew nothing about Anderson and Gallows’ beating; Roman does not believe him and the two split.
Match #3: Single – Fandango VS. Baron Corbin
(Note: Dolph Ziggler is on commentary.) Corbin rapidly demolishes Fandango with his End of Days!
Winner via Pinfall: Baron Corbin
Post-match, Ziggler tries to brawl with Baron, but is quickly planted on the floor!
Segment #5: Backstage Promo
Intercontinental Champion The Miz and his wife, Maryse, are walking through the halls. Maryse sees a spilled drink, so she orders an assistant to put his jacket over the mess; Maryse and Miz walk over the coat.
Commercials.
Segment #6: Arena Promo
The Miz and Maryse are in the ring, where Maryse introduces her husband in a glitzy manner. They talk about the Royal Family, but say their “baby,” the Intercontinental Championship, is better and all theirs. Cesaro, who meets The Miz for the I.C. Title at Payback, interrupts.
Cesaro calls Miz a “royal pain-in-the-ass.” Miz mocks lines from the movie “Taken,” but Cesaro fires back with the late-great “Rowdy” Roddy Piper’s famous movie line, from “They Live,” saying “I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass. (Spits out the bubble gum). I’m all out of bubble gum.”
They egg each other on, but Miz says that Cesaro already has a match with Rusev, who makes his entrance, along with Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio. Cesaro reveals that he has spoken with Shane, who has changed it to an Eight-Man Tag-Team – The Miz and The League taking on Cesaro and ….
Tag-Team Champions The New Day! The trio enter to a huge ovation, and all will go at it next!
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Match #4: Eight-Man Tag-Team – Intercontinental Champion The Miz and The League of Nations (Rusev, Sheamus, and Alberto Del Rio) (with Maryse) VS. Tag-Team Champions The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Big E., and Xavier Woods) and Cesaro
Miz and Woods are wrestling, with Miz giving Xavier a shoulder-block. Woods comes back with a hip-toss and headlock, but is kneed multiple times in the corner. Xavier ducks a couple clotheslines and slides through Miz’s legs, then hits a dropkick. He tags in Big E., who gives Miz a big splash for two! Kofi is now in, but taken down quickly, and Miz switches with Alberto.
New Day and Cesaro stomp on Del Rio numerous times in the corner, then Kofi runs at Alberto with a front-dropkick. Woods is tagged again, but is driven down by a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker from Alberto; The League and Miz control.
Commercials.
Woods is trying to fight back, propping Alberto on the top turnbuckle; Del Rio counters into a hanging-cross arm/leg scissors, and The Miz is in again to work over Xavier. Sheamus and Cesaro are tagged in, with Cesaro having the momentum by continuously uppercutting Miz and Sheamus in opposite corners, as well as Alberto and Rusev on the outside barricade!
Cesaro follows with a crossbody from the top turnbuckle for two onto Sheamus, but cannot swing Sheamus around, as Miz kicks Cesaro. Sheamus takes advantage with a big sit-down powerbomb, but Kofi breaks up the pin. This breaks down with finishers galore, and Cesaro being the one to get the 1 – 2 – 3 after a Neutralizer on Sheamus!
Winners via Pinfall: Cesaro and Tag-Team Champions The New Day
Post-match, Cesaro and New Day celebrate with the fans.
Segment #7: Backstage Promo
Mauro Ranallo is with Women’s Champion Charlotte and her father, Ric Flair. He replays the conclusion of the Women’s Championship match from last week’s Raw, where Ric used nefarious means to help Charlotte retain against Natalya.
Charlotte insists that Natalya had to defeat her, and that she is a “failure, just like every other woman in this division.” Natalya gets in their face and informs of a rematch at Payback; and this time, she says she will have someone to help – her Uncle, Hall-of-Famer Bret “The Hitman” Hart!
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Match #5: Eight-Woman Tag-Team – Natalya, Becky Lynch, Paige, and Sasha Banks VS. Tamina, Naomi, Summer Rae, and Women’s Champion Charlotte (with Ric Flair)
Natalya and Charlotte begin, but Charlotte backs out and tags in Summer. They lock up, and Natalya takes down Rae with a side headlock. Summer scissors out of it, and yanks down Sasha who was tagged. Naomi is in, as is Paige, who knocks Naomi around for a bit, then somersaults onto Tamina from the apron! Charlotte berates her teammates, but Becky leaps off with a forearm!
Commercials.
Tamina is soon in and takes over Lynch, and then tags in Rae. She chokes Becky in the corner with her boot, and switches with Naomi, who mudhole stomps Lynch in the corner. She runs at Becky, but Lynch tosses her aside and crawls for the tag. Naomi manages to hold on, but is shoved away and Becky tags in Nattie, who controls Summer.
Charlotte is tagged after Rae spin-kicks Natalya, but she is quickly countered from the Figure-8 into a Sharpshooter. Charlotte quickly taps!
Winners via Pinfall: Natalya, Becky Lynch, Paige, and Sasha Banks
After replays of A.J. Styles’ and Roman Reigns’ war of words earlier, and Roman’s altercation with Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, Styles, Gallows, and Anderson are shown conversing, as are The Usos and Shane McMahon.
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Match #6: Tag-Team (Tag-Team Championship #1 Contender’s Tournament, Semi-Final) – The Vaudevillians (Simon Gotch and Aiden English) VS. The Usos (Jimmy and Jey)
Jimmy starts out with Gotch, and The Vaudevillians rule the bout early. Jimmy makes the hot-tag to Jey, who is all over both Vaudevillians. Jey gears up Aiden for the rump-splash in the corner, then clotheslines Simon over the top. Jimmy tries a baseball slide on Simon, but Gotch moves and throws Jimmy into the barrier. Jey dives through onto Simon, but English runs Jey into the ring post shoulder-first. The Vaudevillians capitalize with The Whirling Dervish to complete this!
Winners and Advancing To Finals: The Vaudevillians
It will now be The Vaudevillians VS. Big Cass and Enzo Amore at Payback to determine the Number One Contenders!
Segment #8: Video Promo
Clips of Apollo Crews’ abilities airs.
Commercials.
Match #7: Single – Social Outcast member Heath Slater (with Social Outcast partners Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel) VS. Apollo Crews
Apollo wins this after his spin-out powerbomb!
Winner via Pinfall: Apollo Crews
Post-match, Kevin Owens enters and he will e going against Dean Ambrose, next!
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It is announced that A.J. Styles will be on MizTV this week on Smackdown!, while Owens and Sami Zayn will wrestle at Payback, as will Dean Ambrose and Chris Jericho!
Match #8: Single – Kevin Owens VS. Dean Ambrose
Both slug it out right away, with Ambrose getting the better. He rams Owens’ head into the top turnbuckle, then kicks him in the corner. Dean rakes Kevin’s head against the top rope, and elbows him in the corner. Dean kicks Kevin off the ropes, but is put to the canvas with a hard shoulder-block. Owens leads for a while until Dean counters. He follows with a dive-through-the-ropes, but is chucked over the commentators’ table! Ambrose does the same to Owens for a break.
Commercials.
Kevin is back in control after cannon-ball-splashing Dean in the corner, then working him over with a grounding headlock. Ambrose battles back with fury punches until he is hurled to the floor! Owens frogsplashes onto Dean from the apron to the floor! Ambrose slides back in the ring just before the count gets to ten, but is immediately kicked hard in the chin!
Dean reverses another headlock into a backdrop, then gives Owens double-boots in the corner. He ascends the turnbuckle, but is met by Kevin, who attempts a suplex. Ambrose punches out and pushes Owens to the mat, but Kevin rolls to the outside. Dean changes and elbow-drops to there instead!
They punch back-and-forth in the ring, then Dean gives Kevin a big clothesline! He suplexes Owens from the top turnbuckle, and almost gets this! He goes for his Dirty Deeds DDT, but is stopped; however he reverses a Pop-Up Powerbomb into a hurricanrana, but eats a superkick for two!
Kevin goes to the top, but is stopped. Ambrose is on the top with Kevin, and elbows his way. He sets up for a superplex, but Owens reverses into a Cradle-Suplex! 1 – 2 – Ambrose kicks out! Kevin hops up to the top and frogsplashes, but Dean blocks with his knees! He moves from another Cannonball Splash, and drives Owens down with the Dirty Deeds DDT to take the victory!
Winner via Pinfall: Dean Ambrose
Post-match, Jericho runs in and gives Dean a Codebreaker! He stands over a prone Ambrose and raises his hand to close the show.
End of Raw.
