WWE Raw: Results, Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for April 30

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Jinder Mahal (w/ Sunil Singh), Sami Zayn, & Kevin Owens vs. Braun Strowman, Bobby Lashley, & Roman Reigns

Result: Braun Strowman, Bobby Lashley, & Roman Reigns defeated Jinder Mahal, Sami Zayn, & Kevin Owens via pinfall

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

World’s most obvious booking at play here, with the three heels who challenged Reigns teaming up to face The Big Dog and the two guys who saved him from the beatdown. And my head canon says that Braun is only working with Reigns for now because he still isn’t finished with him, and he’s just making sure that no one gets in his way of actually finishing things.

Of course, the heels play things up by not actually facing Roman right off the bat. Reigns would take control before the commercial break, but after the ads Team Canada was firmly in control. Even Bobby Lashley couldn’t turn the tide for long: he spent an entire Backlash ad in a Kevin Owens chinlock!

A hot tag from Lashley to Reigns turned the tables briefly, but a KO DDT to Reigns was immediately followed by another commercial. So now, two matches tonight have been interrupted by two commercial breaks, plus a Backlash ad over the action. Who lays this stuff out? It’s a three-plus hour show with, what, six matches on a good night? Isn’t there some better way to place the commercials or break up the segments so momentum doesn’t die a slow death every three minutes?

The real highlight of the match is when Braun finally tags in. Of course it is. He once again goes full choo-choo on Owens and Zayn outside the ring, but some surprising teamwork from both sides made the finishing sequence highly enjoyable. The spear out of nowhere from Reigns was great, but KO with the superkicks tried his best to steal the show.

Overall, I still think Riott/Banks was the better match, but this was one was more fun.