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WWE Raw Results: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for April 24

Bryan Heaton
Bryan Heaton

Daily DDT

Raw, Source: WWE.com

This week brings us the final episode of Raw before WWE Payback. What happened as we draw closer to the pay-per-view this weekend?

Previously on WWE Raw, Braun Strowman continued his march to “Greatest Superstar in WWE History.” In an effort to top his ambulance tossing from a week earlier, The Monster Among Men superplexed Big Show in the main event – causing the ring to collapse. No big thing for Braun, as he got right up like nothing had happened.

A new number one contender for the Raw Women’s Championship was determined last week, as well. Alexa Bliss survived a fatal four-way match to punch her ticket to a match with Bayley at WWE Payback.

This week, Braun Strowman would be in action again. During his rampage last week, he literally threw Kalisto out like he was a piece of trash. So the luchador challenged Strowman to a Dumpster Match. Did Kalisto survive? Or did Braun continue his path of destruction en route to Payback?

The Hardy Boyz have followed up a successful WrestleMania return by continuing to defeat all opposition. Last week Jeff Hardy defeated Cesaro in singles action. This week, Matt took on Sheamus ahead of the Raw Tag Team Championship match at Payback. Did the Hardys continue to dominate?

But things got kicked off this week with Chris Jericho, who’s gunning for Kevin Owens and the United States Championship at Payback. Y2J brought out the Jeritron 6000 for an episode of The Highlight Reel. Who was his guest?

Related Story: 25 Greatest WrestleMania Moments in WWE History

Please continue reading for all the highlights from WWE Raw for April 24.

Talk is Cheap

The best version of Chris Jericho is the one who treats his promos like the beginning of a rock concert.

The worst version of Chris Jericho is the pandering goofball who thinks “he’s ugly!” is a sick burn.

And tonight, we got both versions of Jericho. It started with such promise, but devolved into garbage. I thought The Miz would save things – he usually does – but even he just came out to recycle old storylines. How many times has The Highlight Reel been canceled?

Speaking of canceling The Highlight Reel, here comes Wacky Dean Ambrose to cancel Miz TV and replace it with the Ambrose Asylum. I feel like somewhere in there is a commentary on how all talk shows are really just interchangeable nonsense, but I digress.

However, after Ambrose came out the segment took a turn for the best. Mainly it’s because of continuity – Ambrose and Jericho made peace, acknowledging their checkered past. And if you thought I was going to hate on a segment where Jericho got a brand new light up jacket, well, you don’t know me at all, do you?

Hey, before I forget – kudos to Maryse, who clearly graduated from the Xavier Woods School of Selling Getting Put On The List Of Jericho. Acting like that makes me want to watch The Marine 5: Look How Many Superstars We Put In This One, even though I haven’t seen the first four.

Matt Hardy (w/ Jeff Hardy) vs. Sheamus (w/ Cesaro)

Result: Matt Hardy defeated Sheamus via pinfall

Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars

They say there’s only two certainties in life: death, and taxes. Well, for WWE fans, there’s a third certainty – a tag team championship match build will always include two singles matches.

Since last week gave us Cesaro vs. Jeff Hardy, this week their partners get their chance. In all honesty, the two matches probably should have taken place in reverse order. Jeff and Cesaro are the “exciting” members of their teams, while Matt and Sheamus are more the “other guy” part (at least without a Broken Hardy universe going on).

https://twitter.com/WWEUniverse/status/856666450085396480

Perhaps feeling the same way themselves, Matt and Sheamus decided to roll into the commercial break after a Side Effect on the ring apron. Well, my apologies for calling your partners the flashy ones. It was a pretty nice spot, and much easier to watch than the White Noise that Sheamus was setting up would have been.

I don’t agree with Sheamus being in control after that commercial break – not after a Side Effect on the apron. Sure, they showed us how it happened on replay, but that’s a signature move. No matter how much stronger Sheamus is, he should have been a bit worse off.

One big thing this match – and the match last week between Jeff and Cesaro – shined a light on is the conditioning of the Hardy Boyz. They’re no spring chickens anymore, and as the matches progressed, both Matt and Jeff were noticeably gassed. That’s the beauty of tag team wrestling – a similar length match is less of an issue when you can tag in and out.

The tenuous, begrudging respect is a good angle to head into Payback. And speaking of angles…

Kurt Angle: Terrific General Manager

Boy, did Kurt learn quick or what? He’s still kind of in that honeymoon period where we’re all going to love him no matter what, but his GM run on Raw has been pretty solid so far. His decisions have all made sense, and he doesn’t seem to be letting personal feelings get in the way.

Look at Braun Strowman last week. Angle told him to leave, and he had to be angry at being ignored. But, he knew that a match between Big Show and Strowman would bring down the house. Or, uh, the ring. So he did it.

Tonight, he’s excited about the Dumpster Match, but he’s willing to scrap it if Kalisto wants out. And, rather than force The Miz into a handicap match, he gives him – the heel – a fair chance to find a partner. It’s great.

Also, he’s sign language vulgar, and that’s pretty awesome.

Neville & TJ Perkins vs. Gentleman Jack Gallagher & Austin Aries

Result: Gentleman Jack Gallagher & Austin Aries defeated Neville & TJ Perkins via pinfall

Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars

In this week’s 205 Live showcase, the only two feuds anyone cares about are mashed into one. Or, the one feud that people care about stops getting split into two tonight. However you want to look at it, we get The King and His Squire vs. The Potassium Parasol Patrol.

Last week, I asked on Twitter if TJ Perkins joined up with Neville because “it’s dangerous to go alone.” Well, having a partner this week didn’t seem to really help him much. He does seem to be more suited to being a heel, though. Give it a little time, keep TJP heel and separate him from Neville, and I think he’s going to be something big in the cruiserweight division.

But the purpose of putting this match on Raw instead of 205 Live is that we’re supposed to be drumming up excitement for Neville-Aries II at Payback. In that respect, this match kind of failed, right? There was a little bit of tussle between challenger and champion at the onset, but they were kept apart for the rest of the contest.

On one hand, that’s great – why would someone care about a pay per view match if they got it for free on cable? On the other hand, why would you tease the confrontation and not deliver? It’s gotta be one or the other.

Dumpster Match: Braun Strowman vs. Kalisto

Result: Kalisto defeated Braun Strowman via dumpster landing

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

First things first: Kalisto on Raw is a bajillion times better than Kalisto on SmackDown Live. The new gear that makes him look like Lucha Underground‘s Drago, the new techno remix of his theme, and an ability to actually speak coherently has transformed him into a good lucha thing.

As far as the match goes, Kalisto is a perfect opponent for Strowman. The goal is to make Braun look like an unstoppable monster? Put him in the ring with someone he can literally throw around the ring. I swear, if he wanted to, Braun could probably throw Kalisto from the center of the ring into the third row.

Truth be told, I think giving Kalisto a brief offensive flurry was the right move. It really adds to the Strowman character that he can underestimate an opponent, but learn from his mistakes. Look at how Braun reacted to Kalisto almost getting the better of him – he came back more vicious.

After the Big Show suplex spot that I was certain would end the match, Kalisto did manage to pull out an upset victory. But he sure didn’t look like a winner at the end of the match, after the most obvious dumpster drop in history happened. Even Fit Finlay can’t convince Braun to stop his run of terror, so I think we’re in this for the long haul.

Thanks for stopping by, Kalisto!

Roman Reigns Is Our Top Star, We Swear!

WWE and their production team do what they do best – create an epic video package for something that really isn’t as big a deal as the video makes it.

Yes, Roman Reigns is a big star, whether we all like it or not. And yes, beating Undertaker at WrestleMania was a huge moment in his career. But this package is hyping a match that may not even main event a B-pay per view. (It probably will be the main event, but you never know with WWE.)

I’m not sure if the Reigns plan is to get him over through sympathy, but I don’t think that’s gonna work. During the beatdown after the Dumpster Match, a large group of fans could be heard chanting “We Want Roman” so the support for him is there. But no one is going to feel sorry for a jacked, handsome Samoan prince who looks cool and beats people up with a shotgun fist.

Later in the show, Braun Strowman gets his own video package, and it plays like his greatest hits. And I will never get tired of watching that Reigns beatdown into the ambulance toss.

Bray Wyatt Addresses An Opponent Who’s Not On The Show

To recap, Bray Wyatt lost the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. He challenged Randy Orton to his guaranteed rematch, and it was made to be a House of Horrors match. No one knows what that means.

The next week, Wyatt moved to Raw in the Superstar Shake-Up. But the match was still on. Then it was no longer a championship match. And both guys have had to build to a match without interacting in any way, shape or form.

It’s kind of a train wreck.

Dana Brooke vs. Alicia Fox

Result: Dana Brooke defeated Alicia Fox via pinfall

Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Oof, this match.

It’s hard to find fault in this, other than saying it should have been on Main Event rather than Raw. When was the last time Alicia Fox had a match? She’s been cruiserweight arm candy for the past few months, so when did she last get on Raw in a match?

And Dana Brooke, bless her trying heart, is a prime example of “left developmental too soon.” It’s not her fault – when you’re a talent under contract, you go where they tell you to go. But she is clearly not quite ready for being on the flagship program of WWE. Just one look at her “Michinoku driver” and you can see what I’m talking about. Wrestling isn’t easy, and Dana’s body just doesn’t sync up with her brain in the ring. It’s a shame, because you can tell she’s trying.

The Emma-Dana angle, though, is much better than the in-ring action. Just based on pure ability, putting Dana back with Emma is a good move, because you can kind of hide Dana that way. Let Emma do the majority of the work, and Dana does a few power moves while she spends her time backstage working out the kinks in her skills.

Samoa Joe and The Club

Honestly, people don’t use the phrase “butt nugget” nearly enough. Thanks go out to the good brothers for putting that out there.

Also, Samoa Joe teaming with The Club? Yes, please. “Strike first and annihilate completely” is the darkest, most hardcore life philosophy I’ve heard in a very long time.

Enzo Amore Finn Balor, Big Cass, & Seth Rollins vs. Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, & Samoa Joe

Result: Finn Balor, Big Cass, & Seth Rollins defeated Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, & Samoa Joe via pinfall

Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars

Originally, this was supposed to be Enzo & Cass teaming with Rollins to take on Joe and The Club. But a pre-match ambush by the baddies left Enzo unable to compete. Because Kurt Angle is a terrific general manager, he finds a replacement partner in Finn Balor. (Although if Kurt really was a great GM, maybe Finn would have already had a scheduled match tonight?)

Of course, my internal monologue is screaming, “WHY ARE YOU MAKING FINN AND THE CLUB FIGHT EACH OTHER, COME ON, MAN!” But any excuse to get Finn and Joe throwing down again is good by me.

While Balor being an afterthought is a little disappointing, WWE’s streak of six-man matches being better than average continues. Big Cass hitting that ridiculous boot to Joe on the apron was beyond awesome. And Rollins gets to show that his knee is healed by utilizing it for his new finisher that’s been teased in dark matches of late.

The instinct to go for a Pedigree only to change his mind is a great little wrinkle. Personally, I’m pleasantly surprised that Seth had the nuance necessary for such a moment – I figured it would be a weird moment. But it was pulled off excellently, and the commentary note of “shedding layers of his former self” is a great way to describe that.

Alexa Bliss > All

The quality of Alexa Bliss promos compared to anyone else in the Women’s Division on Raw is like comparing a Van Gogh to  kindergartener’s finger painting. Bliss has the crowd in the palm of her hand, and she’s got no problem turning it right back on them.

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Case in point, out comes Bayley… to pause… in awkward spots like she’s… William Shatner or something. I think someone told her that dramatic pauses were a good thing, but she’s kind of overdoing it lately.

And to further my point, Sasha Banks wanders down to the ring, but she left her ability to pronounce all the words in the English language in the back. Good gosh, Sasha, there’s a “t” in the word “cute”!

As far as content to the segment, I just don’t know. I like Alexa’s handling of the “What” chants. And the fact that she’s thrilled to embarrass Bayley in front of her father? Great for her character. But the whole thing together fell kind of flat, and I can’t figure out why.

Maybe it’s the fact that Sasha has been turning on Bayley for months, but all of a sudden now they’re better friends than ever. Or maybe it’s the “have you ever even kissed a boy” crack, that seemed out of line even for a nasty heel like Bliss.

Source: WWE.com

Sasha Banks vs. Alexa Bliss

Result: Sasha Banks defeated Alexa Bliss via countout

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

This is one of those few times that a heel taking a countout loss makes sense, and actually enhances the story.

The match itself is nothing really special – at least, nothing special for these two. Alexa and Sasha are great, but the match didn’t necessarily need to be great. The bigger story was happening with Bayley on commentary. She pointed out that, yes, Sasha is her friend, but Sasha’s also here for the same reason everyone else is – the Raw Women’s Championship. Right now Bayley has it, which means it’s just a matter of time before it’s Sasha’s turn.

Anyway, with the match going really nowhere, Alexa ends up out of the ring and just walks up the ramp. Like she said in the promo segment, she didn’t need the match because she’s got one on Sunday.

I thought Bayley was leaving the announce desk to attack Bliss – thankfully, it was just to get her back to the ring. But Alexa squirmed out to launch her own sneak attack, only to be run off by Sasha. It works for everyone involved.

Ambrose Unmade The List!

I’d like to be the one to point out that this was possibly the best List segment in a long time. More continuity (69 tacks? Nice.) combined with some real, genuine character work from both guys? I’ll take that any day of the week, and twice on Sundays.

Of course, Ambrose managed to unmake the List, only to end up right back on it. Of course, he did.

Source: WWE.com

Curt Hawkins vs. Apollo Crews

Result: Apollo Crews defeated Curt Hawkins via pinfall

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

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I like this gimmick for Hawkins. Not only is it a great way to put people over, but he literally “creates stars” at his wrestling school on Long Island. It’s a nice way to subtly let the fans know what Hawkins does when he’s not on Raw.

And the reason this gimmick could have legs is because it got started with the two big names Hawkins keeps mentioning – Big Show and Finn Balor. Now it could literally be anyone, and Apollo Crews is up first.

Crews has been horribly misused thus far since his call-up from NXT roughly a year ago. For someone who should have been a can’t-miss kind of superstar, he’s been pretty much an always-miss on the main roster. Hopefully, the Superstar Shake-Up bringing him to Raw will give him a chance to rehab his career.

And it’s a good start tonight, as he got to show a relatively large audience exactly what he can do. When trying to connect with an audience, it’s incredibly important to show your work.

https://twitter.com/TitusONeilWWE/status/856697702712844288

But this Titus O’Neil thing needs to end if Crews has any shot of getting himself over. Let’s speed it up and get to the match quickly so Crews can do something more worthwhile.

Slater and Axel Deserve Razzies, Rhyno Gets An Oscar

The look on Rhyno’s face when Maryse spilled his plate of crackers is the kind of thing that wins people awards.

Source: WWE.com

Dean Ambrose & Chris Jericho vs. The Miz (w/Maryse)

Result: No contest

Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars

Poor Miz. He gets a note that he has a tag team partner, only to get stood up. Not cool, partner. (Should have went with The Drifter, Mike!)

So, Kurt Angle – again, being 100 percent fair and in the right, even if this seems to be anti-Miz – won’t allow the match to be canceled. He makes it a handicap match – unless the mysterious partner shows up. I gotta tell you, Raw is pretty awesome when there’s no McMahon presence to screw things up on a weekly basis. Let’s all enjoy this while we can.

Some people will try to say that a heel being at a disadvantage in a handicap match is bad from a storytelling perspective. Most of the time, that’s true. A handicap match should see a babyface valiantly fighting off seemingly insurmountable odds, or coming up just short no matter how hard they fight. But here, it works because the authority figure gave the bad guy a chance to even the odds. He couldn’t, so he has to pay. Makes perfect sense.

I like the way the match was laid out – Miz was able to take control for a bit, because he is legitimately great. But the numbers game got to him, and he tried to bolt. And then we found out exactly what Bray Wyatt plans to do on Sunday to Randy Orton.

Now, this is a Bray Wyatt that I can get behind. It’s a little goofy, of course, but after all these years someone is finally trying to use Bray as a legit monster. He singlehandedly took out three guys (granted, after they had beaten each other down in a match, but still).

What concerns me is that it looks like we’ll be doing Bray vs. Ambrose again, and I don’t want to see any more television sets explode. And where does this leave Finn Balor, who seemed to be Wyatt’s first feud? Seems like we’ll find out after Payback.

Related Story: Taking WWE Title Out of Orton/Wyatt Match Is Right Call

What did you think of this week’s episode of Raw?

Bryan Heaton

Bryan Heaton

Bryan lives on Long Island with his wife and a pug, and more often than not there's some form of wrestling or another playing on the TV or computer. Follow him on Twitter @BigHeat34 to talk about WWE, NXT, or Chikara (seriously, wrestling ice creams and wrestling ants are AMAZING), or introduce him to your favorite promotions or matches!