The April 10th, 2017 edition of WWE RAW aired live on the USA Network from the Nassau Coliseum in New York and featured the start of a “Superstar shake-up” between the RAW and SmackDown rosters.
– The fireworks go off and Michael Cole welcomes us to RAW from the sold-out Nassau Coliseum with an attendance of 12,116.
– John Cena’s music hits, but The Miz and Maryse come out instead of Cena. They’re dressed as Cena and Nikki Bella again. The Miz informs us that the first rule of Cena’s house rules is that the crowd isn’t allowed to chant “Cena sucks.” The Miz pokes fun at Cena’s proposal to Bella at WrestleMania, and says Hollywood doesn’t want them. Dean Ambrose’s music hits and he interrupts next. Ambrose talks to Miz as if he’s really Cena, until The Miz takes his hat off and Maryse takes her wig off. When Ambrose clues in, he decides to immediately hit The Miz with the Dirty Deeds and then celebrates with the crowd before heading backstage.
– Sami Zayn approaches Kurt Angle backstage and starts talking about how he doesn’t want to go to SmackDown anymore. Angle starts to look bored and tells Zayn that SmackDown has a lot of interest in him. The Miz and Maryse interrupt next, and this leads to Angle setting up a match between Miz and Sami tonight.
– The New Day is out next. They bring out a doll with dreadlocks since Kofi Kingston is out with an injury tonight. Big E and Xavier call out The Revival for a match right now, and the recent RAW signees come out to accept.
– The Revival def. The New Day: It’s all Big E and Xavier in the opening moments after the bell. A distraction from the apron allows Dash to drop Xavier by his hair and tag in Dawson. Xavier tries to tag in Big E but Dawson stops him. Xavier hits a big forearm on Dawson and both men are down. Big E and Dash tag in and Big E launches him with a series of belly to belly suplexes. Big E follows up with a running splash, then Dawson runs in. Big E pushes Dawson out to the apron and Dawson pulls Big E’s neck down across the top rope. Dash gets a two count then tags in Dawson. Big E hits a belly to belly suplex on Dawson then tags in Xavier, who hits a long flying elbow off the top rope almost all the way across the ring. Big E and Xavier set up for the Midnight Hour on Dawson, but Dash makes the save and they reverse it into the Shatter Machine on Xavier for the win.
– Neville does an interview backstage where he says Austin Aries isn’t on his level, and he’s quickly interrupted by TJ Perkins. Perkins says he’s the one who will take Neville’s Cruiserweight Title, but Neville objects and says Perkins’ career is a joke now. Neville says the opportunities that should’ve been given to Perkins were instead given to Aries, and Neville says he’s the only one with any respect for Perkins. Austin Aries interrupts next and says even though he has his sunglasses on inside at night, he can see that Neville is lying through his teeth. Aries asks Perkins if he believes Neville, but Perkins walks off without answering.
– Curt Hawkins is in the ring to cut a promo about returning to Monday Night RAW. Hawkins asks where the welcoming committee is, and that brings out The Big Show. Hawkins goes to hug him, but The Big show hits him with one right hand and drops him, then leaves.
– TJ Perkins def. Austin Aries: Neville is on commentary on this one. Aries hits a rolling senton in the opening minutes and follows up with a running elbow in the corner. Aries hits a flying elbow to the back of the neck of Perkins for a two count. Perkins lays on the ropes then ducks when Aries goes to spear him, sending Aries outside. Perkins comes off the top towards Aries on the apron, but Aries dodges it then knocks Perkins down to the floor. Aries goes up top and hits a splash on Perkins down on the floor. Aries climbs up on the fan barricade and taunts Neville at the announce table, which prompts Neville to walk down the ramp and get in Aries’ face. The referee starts counting him out so Aries rolls back in the ring, and Perkins immediately rolls him up in a small package for the win. After the bell, Perkins attacks Aries from behind and then hits the Detonation Kick. Perkins stares down Neville on the ramp before the Cruiserweight Champion heads backstage.
– We see Seth Rollins talking to Enzo and Cass backstage before we go to commercial.
– Rollins comes out to the ring and says he left it all in the ring when he faced Triple H at WrestleMania. Rollins tells the crowd that “we” beat Triple H, and he tells the fans they are just getting started together. Rollins indicates that he’s still planning revenge on Samoa Joe, and then plays the clip of Stephanie McMahon bumping through the table at WrestleMania. Rollins says when Stephanie heals and returns, she’ll be out to ruin him. Rollins says because of that, it’d be easier to try to jump ship to SmackDown. Rollins says that’d be the easy way out, but that he’s not going down without a fight. This brings out RAW General Manager Kurt Angle. Angle tells Rollins it’s true (it’s damn true) that Stephanie wants Rollins gone from RAW. Kurt says he saw something in Rollins at WrestleMania that he hadn’t seen before. Kurt said Rollins was a one-legged man who won an ass-kicking contest at WrestleMania, and that he wants Rollins on his show. Angle says that as long as he’s GM, Rollins will have a home on RAW. As Angle is making his way backstage, Samoa Joe attacks Rollins from behind. Rollins and Joe go back and forth until Rollins hits two superkicks on Joe that send him out to ringside. Joe starts to head back towards the ring, but decides against it and walks backstage instead.
– WWE United States Champion Kevin Owens is backstage to do an interview about the Superstar Shake-up. Owens tells the interviewer to ask Jericho instead, because Jericho should want to go to SmackDown to get away from Owens. Owens says being the US Champion makes him the face of America, and that Ambrose’s Intercontinental Title isn’t as important. Owens says Ambrose needs to remember his place and that Owens is the man on RAW, or else he’ll beat the hell out of him.
– Nia Jax def. Charlotte: Nia dominates the opening moments of this one and tries to keep Charlotte grounded. Charlotte starts coming back with chops to the chest and kicks. Charlotte takes out Nia’s knee and hits the Natural Selection for a two count. Charlotte throws Nia outside and follows up with a moonsault off the top turnbuckle all the way down onto Nia at ringside. Back in the ring, Charlotte attempts a Figure Four but Nia gets out and throws Charlotte into the turnbuckle. Nia comes back with a big splash in the corner and a Samoan Drop.
– We go to the announce table where Michael Cole introduces a video package about Finn Balor’s return. Balor is up next.
– Finn Balor def. Jinder Mahal: Finn opens up strong, but Jinder takes control of things early on after a big boot to the face of Balor. Mahal hits a stiff forearm shot to the face shortly after, which sends Balor down to the mat again. Finn comes back with an overhead kick, then a sling blade and a running dropkick. Balor follows up shortly after with the Coup De Grace for the win after a short but competitive match.
– Immediately after the mach, Bray Wyatt appears on the big screen as Balor watches on from the ring. Wyatt announces that he has arrived on RAW, and this is his home now.
– The announce team introduces video clips for Apollo Crews, Kalisto, Heath Slater and Rhyno all moving to RAW in the Superstar Shake-up.
– Sami Zayn def. The Miz: Maryse is at ringside. Sami hits a series of arm drags on The Miz early on, then clotheslines him out to ringside. Zayn runs towards Miz for a suicide dive, but Maryse stands in front of The Miz at ringside so Zayn stops. Back in the ring, The Miz comes back with a backbreaker and a neckbreaker for a two count. The Miz takes Zayn to the top turnbuckle, but Zayn punches him off. The Miz dodges a splash and hits a DDT on Zayn for a two count. The Miz hits a series of kicks on Zayn until Zayn blocks one and comes back with the Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. Zayn goes for a big boot in the corner, but Maryse pulls Miz outside by the foot. Maryse then grabs Sami’s foot under the ropes behind the ref’s back, but it doesn’t pay off as Sami reverses a Skull Crushing Finale attempt into a rollup for the win.
– Michael Cole is backstage with Roman Reigns for an interview about Reigns’ victory over The Undertaker at WrestleMania. Reigns says he retired a legend, and now he’s the big dog here. The interview is very quickly interrupted by Braun Strowman who grabs Reigns and throws him into the wall. Strowman then throws Reigns high in the air and he crashes through a table. Strowman continues to beat Reigns down and throws him into the loading bay door multiple times. Strowman hits a running powerslam on Reigns onto some boxes, then he wheels another big box into Reigns’ head. Strowman finally leaves as referee and security guards check on Reigns. Reigns gets loaded onto a stretcher and we can hear the crowd in the Nassau Coliseum chanting “You deserve it.” Strowman comes roaring out of nowhere and grabs the stretcher Reigns is on. Strowman wheels Reigns over to another part of the loading bay and sends Reigns’ stretcher flying off of an approximately eight-foot tall drop. More referees and EMTs rush to Reigns and load him into an ambulance. They finally get him loaded in, but then Strowman comes back once again. Strowman closes the ambulance doors, and then literally lifts the ambulance from the side and pushes it over strongman-style.
WHAT DID @BraunStrowman just do?! #RAW pic.twitter.com/7ExzDImgQX
— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2017
The unthinkable has happened on Monday Night #RAW…@BraunStrowman just tipped over the amublence WITH @WWERomanReigns inside! pic.twitter.com/3KEnwtAkbG
— WWE (@WWE) April 11, 2017
– Back from commercial, more EMTs take Reigns out of the overturned ambulance and put him into another one. This ambulance successfully leaves the building with Reigns.
– The Hardy Boys, Sheamus & Cesaro def. The Shining Stars, Gallows & Anderson: Before the match, The Drifter from NXT appears on the stage. Matt, Jeff, Sheamus and Cesaro all get in some offense in the opening moments of this one. Cesaro hits a cross body splash off the top on Anderson for a two count. He goes for The Swing, but Gallows makes the save. Gallows and Anderson hit a back suplex/neckbreaker combo on Cesaro. Sheamus comes in to even the odds, but Primo hits a backstabber on him. Some of the brawling goes out to ringside and Jeff springboards off of Matt for a suicide dive onto the heels at ringside. Back in the ring, Matt hits the Twist of Fate on Primo then Jeff follows up with the Swanton Bomb for he win.
– We see Dana Brooke backstage reading a book called “How To Be Your Own Protege.” Emma interrupts and tells Dana she was originally her protege before Charlotte. Emma tells Dana to go with her, but Dana declines and says the entire women’s division including her has gotten better while Emma was away.
– Sasha Banks comes out to the ring and introduces Bayley because she has something to say. Bayley comes out and first she thanks the crowd for supporting her so she could have her WrestleMania moment. Sasha gets serious and says Bayley’s WrestleMania moment is over now, but then Alexa Bliss comes out to interrupt. Alexa says she’s sick of the saga between Bayley and Sasha, and she’s here for the RAW Women’s Title. Mickie James interrupts next to announce that she has also moved from SmackDown to RAW. Mickie tells Alexa that her nightmare is just beginning, but then Nia Jax comes from behind and attacks Mickie. Nia hits the ring and throws Sasha outside, then hits a Samoan Drop on Bayley. Nia poses with the RAW Women’s Title in the ring, then stares down Alexa on the ramp.
– Dean Ambrose def. Kevin Owens: Ambrose takes things out to ringside early on and hits a suicide dive on Owens. Back in the ring, Owens slows things down and grounds Ambrose with a chin lock. Ambrose hits a headbutt and goes for a lariat, but Owens dodges it and throws Ambrose outside. Owens slams Ambrose into the ring post then continues the offense back in the ring. Ambrose comes back with a lariat then crotches Owens on the top rope and clotheslines him off. Ambrose throws Owens outside and follows up with a flying elbow off the top turnbuckle onto Owens on the floor. Back in the ring, Owens blocks a splash with a kick and hits a powerbomb for a two count. Owens goes for a Pop Up Powerbomb but Ambrose escapes. Owens hits a superkick but Ambrose continues to struggle and fight back. Ambrose then hits the Dirty Deeds out of nowhere for the win. As Ambrose is celebrating his victory, Chris Jericho’s music hits. Y2J makes his way down to the ring to confront Owens. Jericho ducks a clothesline from Owens and hits the Codebreaker. Owens is down on the mat as Jericho tells the crowd to “drink it in, man” and RAW goes off the air.
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