WWE Raw – April 27, 2020 (Review)

Like sand through the hourglass, I too feel like I’m being forced through a bottleneck. That’s the expression, right? If not for the regularly scheduled Raw ushering in another Monday night, would any of us know what day it is? Heck, I sometimes struggle to remember what month it is! When I woke up this morning, I could’ve sworn it was Apr-ember forty-third.

My point is that time seems to be moving erratically of late, almost wave-like. Sometimes too fast, sometimes agonisingly slowly. And yet Raw rolls on, as they say.

Before they meet in the Women’s #MITB Ladder Match one week from Sunday, @WWEAsuka, @NiaJaxWWE and @QoSBaszler will battle in a Triple Threat Match TONIGHT on #WWERaw. https://t.co/WS7T9IKiXW

— WWE (@WWE) April 27, 2020

It’s nice to have these small routines to help us maintain some semblance of normalcy in these tough times. Even if the offering is less than stellar. On this week’s Raw, the two main selling points were a triple threat featuring Nia Jax, Asuka and Shayna Baszler, as well as a contract signing between Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins.

Neither sound especially riveting and yet, it’s for that very reason that we should take comfort. It’s nice knowing that some things haven’t changed. As world events knock us back and take their toll, let’s bind together to enjoy some likely mediocre wrestling. So look after one another… and let’s get to the review.

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The Best of Raw

Bobby Flies Solo

Bobby Lashley scored a quick win over the pretty impressive Denzel Dejournette this week. Dejournette has had quite the run of late. In just the last three weeks, he’s lost to Seth Rollins, Sheamus and now Lashley. He looks to be an interesting prospect.

Before the match, Bobby asked Lana to remain backstage. The excuse he gave was that she was simply too beautiful and he found her distracting. The man has a point. But the suggestion was that there may be more that remained unsaid.

No @LanaWWE at ringside for @fightbobby tonight … because she's just too beautiful? #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/0znHXCuYxC

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) April 28, 2020

This worked on multiple levels by showcasing new talent, giving Lashley a much-needed win and advancing his inevitable breakup with Lana. Also, this match featured a new female referee who I hadn’t noticed before. She did a great job in limited action. All of this was excellent.

Liv’s a Riot(t)

Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan had another low-key average banger this week. It’s encouraging to see a feud in the women’s division that doesn’t simply revolve around a Championship. With that said, I still have not idea why these women are feuding. All I remember is that Liv had an affair with Lana and then Ruby returned from injury to beat up Liv. Because… jealousy? I’m still none the wiser, months later.

Whatever the case may be, if it gives us quality matches then I’m all for the confusing lesbian angles. Liv kicked out of the Riott kick and a minute later secured the win with an awesome move she calls “Oblivion”. She rebounds off the ropes into a Flatliner. I dig it.

She just sent @RubyRiottWWE into ObLIVion.

What a victory for @YaOnlyLivvOnce on #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/MVGhGpMWkF

— WWE (@WWE) April 28, 2020

Byron interviewed Liv after the match and she said that “like most women [her] age” she was just trying to find her identity. Not sure what that means but as long as it stays within the realm of sanity, I’m all for it.

A Rising Tag Division

Ricochet and Cedric Alexander built upon their win last week by fairly easily dispatching of two lads I didn’t recognise. I’m told they go by EverRise and apparently I have seen them before. *Exaggerated shrug*

Here comes your new favorite tag team.#WWERaw @KingRicochet @CedricAlexander pic.twitter.com/Dc8Q2NhZjd

— WWE (@WWE) April 28, 2020

After the match, MVP appeared on the Titantron to announce that he had signed Shane Thorne and Brendan Vink as clients, and that his new recruits would be facing Ricochet and Alexander next week.

A good match with a functional build towards next Monday – no complaints.

Tense Negotiations

Jerry Lawler introduced the two men set to battle over then Universal Championship at Money in the Bank, before skedaddling at the prospect of these two beefy gentlemen getting into a scuffle.

Seth took his time to reiterate what he had said about McIntyre last week. The Scotsman isn’t a leader, whereas Seth has led men wherever he’s gone… a rather strange proclamation for a man who currently has zero followers. But I did appreciate when Seth called the responsibility of being a champion “a burden [he] had to bear.” This messiah gimmick is truly, truly incredible.

Whatever @WWERollins is sellin' … @DMcIntyreWWE ain't buyin' it. #WWERaw #MITB pic.twitter.com/SNGPeEDQBP

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) April 28, 2020

Drew shot back that Rollins was full of bleep – except it wasn’t bleeped. He pointed out exactly what I just said: that Seth currently has no followers. Great, muscly minds think alike, I suppose. He challenged Seth to finish the job when they meet at the pay-per-view and signed the contract.

And then he slammed Rollins head into the table! This was fantastic. The two men brawled, but just as Drew was setting up for the Claymore, Buddy Murphy ran in to make the save. Relieved, Rollins embraced his disciple, only to place him in the path of the onrushing McIntyre. While Seth scurried to safety, Drew asked whether Murphy was the “sacrificial lamb”.

The meaning of sacrifice.#WWERaw @DMcIntyreWWE pic.twitter.com/IuiZxmvtBP

— WWE (@WWE) April 28, 2020

Every second of this was perfect, although the biblical references may have gone one too many. Seth though in particular has felt reborn in his new role… one which, dare I say, makes me somewhat hopeful he wins the title next Sunday. Either way, a great end to a drab night.

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The Worst of Raw

Three Guys, Two Couches

Raw kicked off with a trip to the VIP Lounge. Admittedly I’ve never been much of a VIP, so I’m not too familiar with the trappings of that lavish lifestyle. But if they’re anything like MVP’s little setup, then I don’t feel like I’ve been missing out. It was really just two couches and a side table in a wrestling ring.

Is there more of a V ⭐️ I ⭐️ P way to start #WWERaw … than with @The305MVP's #VIPLounge with @reymysterio @WWEAleister & @WWEApollo?! pic.twitter.com/rpuq1vnBRz

— WWE (@WWE) April 28, 2020

His guests this week also happened to be the red brand’s representatives in the Money in the Bank ladder match next week: Rey Mysterio, Apollo Crews and Aleister Black. And for those wondering – yes, Black even uses his creaky platform to get up for the lounge. What a boss.

After sitting through three entrances, we almost immediately got three more as Zelina Vega, Andrade, Austin Theory and Angel Garza crashed the party. They demanded that Mysterio, Black and Crews surrender their MITB places to them, because… well, they’re heels and such. I’m not sure. Last week these three goons were getting beaten up by Drew McIntyre. That seems to have been abandoned fairly quickly.

Anyway, the customary brawl broke out and it looks like we’re gonna have ourselves a tag team match, playa.

Six Shades of Bland

Despite the talent involved, the ensuing match was one of the more nondescript six-man tag encounters I’ve seen recently. Momentum routinely swung back and forth without much spectacle. The babyfaces would get the upper hand for a few minutes, before the heels scored a blind tag and cut their opponent off with a kick to the gut. And back we went.

Achievement 🔓.#WWERaw @AngelGarzaWwe pic.twitter.com/mR3z2zzoHB

— WWE (@WWE) April 28, 2020

The fact that this went through THREE ad breaks did little to spark life into proceedings. Mysterio and Black were taken out at ringside and stayed down forever. Occasionally you would catch them peeking over the apron, apparently waiting for their cue to trigger the next phase of the match. Eventually they shot back into the ring to save Apollo Crews from getting pinned. After a short brawl between all six men, Crews and Andrade were again left in the ring.

Andrade hit a back elbow, but Crews kicked out. A few seconds later Apollo landed a back suplex-into-powerbomb for the pin. So I suppose we’re into the second and final week of the annual “Apollo Crews mini-push”.

The Breakup of a Popular Group?

Charly Crews wanted to know why Andrade had lost the six-man encounter earlier in the night. Speaking on behalf of her client, Zelina Vega pinned the loss on Angel Garza and Austin Theory… who also happen to be her “business associates”. What?

BRING IT ON.@WWEApollo wants an opportunity at @AndradeCienWWE's #USTitle, and he just might get it TONIGHT! #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/VhNRTS6SpT

— WWE (@WWE) April 28, 2020

Before we could ponder whether this meant the group was breaking up just a few weeks after its formation, a gloating Apollo Crews entered the frame. Some heated words (and a cracking slap) were exchanged and Andrade accepted a challenge for a US Title match later in the night.

Bait and Switch

Here’s a riddle for you. What’s two minutes long and yet never actually starts? Apparently it’s a triple threat on Raw.

This match, pitting Nia Jax, Asuka and Shayna Baszler against one another, COULD have been awesome. On her way to the ring, Baszler jumped Asuka and dragged her to the outside. While staring down Jax (who remained stoic in the ring), Shayna battered Asuka in an effort to eliminate her from the equation.

But Asuka turned the tables on Baszler, trowing her into the barricade. Just then, Nia pounced and attacked both women. She threw them around for a minute before cracking them with a ladder, driving Baszler and Asuka out of the ring.

Welp, this CANNOT be good for @QoSBaszler and @WWEAsuka.#WWERaw @NiaJaxWWE pic.twitter.com/qDjYut1Qrp

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) April 28, 2020

Just as I thought things were kicking off, Nia’s music started to play and she triumphantly wielded the ladder overhead. Excuse me – what?!

I thought I had somehow missed a pinfall but nope. Apparently the match never even got started because it was just too out of hand. So again, one of the main selling points of Raw never even happened. And for such a lame, hapless reason. So when someone gets hit with a ladder at Money in the Bank, expect the match to be called off immediately. Because that’s the precedent that was set here.

Vikings Back on the Road

Back from their merry road trip, the Viking Raiders cut an angry promo from a red, smokey room. It seems that whatever that abomination was last week has suddenly been abandoned, as they were back to their usual Viking selves. Although they were wearing headgear which appeared to have plastic reindeer antlers attached to it, so who knows what’s going on at this point.

Hear that, #StreetProfits?

The #VikingRaiders @Erik_WWE & @Ivar_WWE WANT THE SMOKE. #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/fcUr8dJQGf

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) April 28, 2020

Without having done a single thing to earn it, Erik and Ivar wanted a title match against the Street Profits. Like the rich dudes say on Dragon’s Den: “how does this scale?” No, that’s not it! “I’m out.”

A Former Champion Returns

Jinder Mahal made his long-anticipated return from injury on Raw. So how did the former WWE Champion return? As the leader of a new faction? By jumping a current champion? By reinventing himself?

NO ONE. KICKS OUT. OF THE KHALLAS!@JinderMahal is victorious over @TozawaAkira on #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/TK9rG03lQs

— WWE (@WWE) April 28, 2020

Nope, he’s still the same guy and he squashed Akira Tozawa. But hey, at least he’s jacked, as commentary almost hyperventilated to point out.

Nothing Interviews

Charly got yelled at by Nia, who loudly claimed that no-one could do anything about her actions. It looked for all money like Caruso was heading for another bad night but Angel Garza surprised her with a rose and a proposition to get to know one another better. She seemed flattered and I think she accepted the date… from the man who got engaged like four months ago on NXT.

🌹😍🌹😍🌹😍🌹😍#WWERaw @AngelGarzaWwe @CharlyOnTV pic.twitter.com/AY7E6mbQOR

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) April 28, 2020

I think if Charly had been allowed to display more of a personality over the last three years, I might actually get invested in this. But as it is…

A Match So Bland, We Got It Twice

Apollo Crews and Andrade returned for their second interaction of the night on Raw. I was bored to the edge of consciousness by their six-man tag at the top of the show and mercifully this was better. But not by a whole lot.

As you might expect, Andrade took much of the contest as the Champion imposed his credentials on his less decorated challenger. Eventually Crews grew into the match, enough to put the result in some doubt. He blocked an attempted Hammerlock DDT and landed a powerslam for a two-count.

https://twitter.com/WWEUniverse/status/1254955587609206785

But after a missed Frog Splash, Crews collapsed, holding a knee which he had tweaked earlier in the bout. And so, for the second time in the night, the contest was brought to a premature end. On the assumption that this is a worked injury (which it certainly appeared to be), then this – much like the women’s threeway – is such a cop-out. They didn’t want either man to take the loss, so instead we get this unsatisfying non-finish which makes neither champion nor challenger look good.

Later in the night, Crews was seen hobbling through the locker room on crutches, too agonised to speak to Charly Caruso.

The Becky Cycle

Becky Lynch delivered a pre-recorded, cinematic promo which leaned heavily on her WrestleMania victory over Charlotte and Ronda Rousey last year. The segment was overlaid with clips of the likes of Charlotte, Natalya and Seth Rollins singing her praises.

#TheMan is waiting for her next challenge. Who's going to step up?#WWERaw @BeckyLynchWWE pic.twitter.com/IoyJ3fXOBp

— WWE (@WWE) April 28, 2020

How long can we continue to beat the same drum? We’ve heard all of this countless times before. For as well as it was filmed and presented, it ultimately accomplished nothing.

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Overall Rating for the Show (From best to worst: RAWsome, Cor, AvRAWge, Poor and RAWful)

When my third favourite aspect of Raw was a Bobby Lashley squash match, then you know things have gone slightly awry. And yet here we are.

The red brand advertised two segments in advance of the show this week. While the contract signing between Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins was comfortably the best thing that happened all night, the three-way between Jax, Asuka and Baszler was far from it. In fact, the contest never even officially get underway before being called off. It was another in a long line of lame bait and switch moments from WWE.

Sadly the rest of the show was largely a hodgepodge of bad ideas and poorly executed angles. Apollo Crews and Andrade wrestled twice and neither was exciting. Jinder Mahal made an unremarkable return to literal silence. And Charly Caruso was somehow the primary focus of much of the night’s antics.

Fortunately Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott continued to fall on the right side of alright and I was also quite partial to a what Ricochet and Cedric Alexander had to offer. But that’s the level we’ve reached at this point. A cracking final segment saved the show from falling completely into the abyss, but not enough to make it acceptable. This week’s Raw was Poor.

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• April 27
• review
• RAW
• wwe

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