WWE Raw Results, Highlights, and Grades for Superstar Shakeup 2019

Andrade vs. Finn Balor (No Title)

Result: Andrade wins via Hammerlock DDT

Guess who is coming to Raw? The former Cruiserweight Champion, Cedric Alexander! That’s a future star right there!

Finn Balor comes out with the Intercontinental Championship, and Michael Cole makes a big deal out of how anyone can lose their titles during the Shakeup, calling back to Jeff Hardy’s surprise United States Championship win over Jinder Mahal last year.

After shining on SmackDown Live, Andrade is here to make an entrance on Raw, and Zelina Vega makes their presence felt on the microphone as Balor stands in the ring.

Now Andrade takes to the microphone to speak Spanish, instead of the French that Zelina advertised, telling Finn and the WWE Universe that he’s about to demonstrate to them why he’s the best, by pinning Balor in the center of the ring.

https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1117953861962981376

Andrade begins the match on top of things, hitting the knees on Finn at Zelina’s behest, which Balor quickly kicks out of.

Finn tries to charge at Andrade on the apron, but Andrade weasels his way out of it and gains the upper-hand before the break by pretending to sacrifice Vega.

Balor’s left knee started causing him some issues in the middle of the match, and Andrade quickly capitalized. He tried to go for a huge move off the ropes, but Balor countered for a nearfall.

Starting to come back, Balor hit a slingblade, but he was laboring at this piont due to the knee injury. But Finn barely kicked out of a CRAZY athletic move from Andrade after taking too long to get to his feet, and El Idolo’s greatness is getting him hella over with the crowd.

Balor did his homework, though, and stopped the double-moonsault before dropkicking Andrade into the corner. Due to his knee injury, he couldn’t get to the top rope in time for the Coup de Grace, and it seemed like only a matter of time before Andrade upset the Intercontinental Champion.

But there was plenty of fight left in Balor, who went back up to the top rope. Andrade moved out of the way, hit the back elbow, and went for the Hammerlock DDT…but Finn rolled him up and NEARLY got the “W”.

Finn hit a HUGE dive to the outside that should have given him big-time momentum, but the crafty Zelina Vega hit him with a headscissors on the outside to set up a Hammerlock DDT and a defining win for Andrade.

Grade: A, Great debut for Andrade on Raw and a fantastic match between these two. I’d love to see more matches like this, and the headscissors/Hammerlock DDT is going to be THE finish in Raw’s upper mid-card.