Match Ratings For WWE Raw 4/23/18, Podcast Notes From Sean Ross Sapp

Bruno Sammartino

The show starts with a touching tribute and ten bell salute to Bruno Sammartino, who passed away last week.

Broman Reigns

Paul Heyman cuts a promo with a laugh that was kind of weird. Heyman says that Brock Lesnar doesn't have to gloat, because Paul Heyman will do it for him.
Heyman references Lesnar's new contract, saying that he earned his raise. Within storyline, he definitely did.
Roman Reigns gets a pretty big pop, and says he's leaving Saudi Arabia with the championship and drops the mic. Okay.

Elias defeated Bobby Roode
4.75/10

Roode wearing blue stands out a lot more on Raw. Him interrupting Elias gets him over as a heel for me, though.
Bobby Roode tweaks his knee, then uses his other for an inverted atomic drop. Roode clotheslines Elias over the top rope after Cole messed up a throw to commercial.
This is really slow. It's Elias' NXT work, and much of the same for Roode outside of the babyface flying and posing spots.
I like Lindsey Mahe's idea of using Dana Brooke as Bobby Roode's valet.
Elias hangs Roode up on the top rope and rolls him up for a pin. The right call, but this has 50/50 written all over it.

Deleter Of Worlds defeated The Ascension
5/10

We see a Woken Matt Hardy promo. He talks Greatest Royal Rumble and is joined by Bray Wyatt.
Viktor cartwheels over Hardy, and Hardy is rather entertained by it. Wyatt CRACKS VIktor with a huge clothesline.
Matt Hardy is ORANGE. He's also modified the Side Effect to take less of a bump.
Wyatt gives Konnor Sister Abigail, then the Deleter of Worlds win with their assisted Twist of Fate.
Pretty good short match between Deleter of Worlds and Ascension.

Sami & KO Show

It's a new talk show, and I'm rather excited about it. They bring out Kurt Angle and have a lawn chair out there for him.
They make fun of Kurt Angle because his bosses have his "manhood in a jar."
Sami Zayn says Kurt Angle has five kids, but Owens says he has six. Zayn forgot about Jason Jordan, and for years, Kurt Angle did too.
Angle says he'll repay Owens and Zayn in the Greatest Royal Rumble — along with Daniel Bryan and Chris Jericho in that match. He books KO & Sami Zayn against Bobby Lashley & Braun Strowman tonight.

Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntyre defeated Titus Worldwide (w/ Dana Brooke)
5/10

Dolph Ziggler's record scratch is dumb. stop it. Dana Brooke's outfit is different this week. Looks really old school pinup.
Ziggler is bounced around big time, but eventually McIntyre saves him effortlessly with a simple boot.
Reverse Alabamaslam and a superkick. The Claymore Zig Zag wins the match for them. Ziggler is also very orange.
McIntyre and Ziggler cut really good promos. Ziggler says nobody has had his back until now. McIntyre says he isn't what WWE wants, but he's the wake-up call that WWE desperately needs. "I'm especially dangerous to a locker room that has gone soft. When I walk around I see no fire! No ambition! People walking around collecting checks and it makes me sick."
I can definitively say that what McIntyre spoke in that promo is how he feels, because I've interviewed hundreds of wrestlers, and encountered few who are excited to be a pro wrestler as him.

Chad Gable defeated Jinder Mahal (w/ Sunil Singh)
5.75/10

Backstage, Chad Gable encounters Kurt Angle, and asks about Jason Jordan, who is getting better each week, however, he's a singles wrestler. Jinder Mahal arrives and wants back on Smackdown. He makes fun of Chad Gable, speculating that he's actually Nicholas.
Jinder Mahal attacks Gable before the match, but Gable makes it back in the ring. Gable scores a takedown, but quickly gets kicked.
We come back from a commercial to see Gable eat the turnbuckle Bret Hart style, but eventually hits a Rolling Koppu Kick.
This crowd is pretty lively for a means nothing match. Jinder Mahal with a stun gun and a huge knee.
Gable and Jinder just did the Bret Hart/Steve Austin Survivor Series 96 finish! Or the Piper/Hart finish, depending on how old you are.
This is the strongest two week in-ring run of Mahal's WWE career.

Braun Strowman & Bobby Lashley defeated Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
6/10

I find it really charming that despite his great success, Braun Strowman still sews his pants together from other, way smaller pants.
Lashley and Strowman are dominant early until KO and Zayn isolate Bobby Lashley.
This beating continues through the break until Lashley belly-to-belly suplexes Zayn to a great reaction. This crowd has been great tonight.
Strowman gets pulled off the apron, but he goes NUTS and kills Sami Zayn and Owens. Just flat out runs over them, including a front dropkick outside (BOO!).
Lashley with a hanging vertical suplex to Sami Zayn, followed by a Braun powerslam.
This has been a great night of WWE Tag League

Baron Corbin and No Way Jose

No Way Jose has his dancing line and Booker T straight up accuses him of stealing Adam Rose's gimmick and asks where the bunny is.
Baron Corbin says No Way Jose isn't on his level, and won't fight Jose as long as his buddies are out there. He says his idea of fun is ruining other people's fun. He attacks Jose when he leaves.
Booker T loves it.

Finn Balor & Seth Rollins defeated Miztourage
5/10

Miztourage are backstage and pitch Seth Rollins on being the new Shield. He doesn't buy in. They pitch the Baxel Club to Balor, but get shot down there, too. Bo says "are you thinking what I'm thinking?" and Axel says "No, I have no idea what you're thinking."
Balor fights back with a kick after getting worked over. Rollins tags in and hits a suicide dive and a Blockbuster. Coup De Grace. Win.

Mickie James, Alexa Bliss & Riott Squad defeated Natayla, Sasha Banks, Bayley, Nia Jax & Ember Moon
6/10

That Alexa Bliss PSA! I thought that was brilliant.
Riott Squad get interviewed backstage. It's really, really scripted but they all do about as good as they can given the dialogue.
Holy shit, that backstage baybface promo was weird. If you forgot who the babyfaces and heels are, here ya go!
This is the match where they give all the new girls a couple of minutes so commentary can explain who they are so they don't have to tell actual stories about them instead.
That Ember Moon suicide dive was A+.
Natalya looks motivated, and her being a babyface means she doesn't taunt when her opponents are flat backed and ready to be pinned. She applies the Sharpshooter. Sarah Logan takes out Natalya's knee. I guess you could say Natalya's leg got kicked out from under her leg.
Ruby Riott beats up Bayley a bit, but gets press slammed and leg dropped by Nia Jax.
ALL HAIL BREAKS LOOSE. Nia flies off the apron and knocks down everyone.
Mickie James takes another cheap shot at Natalya, and Ronda Rousey makes the save.
Rousey unconvincingly goes to help Natalya, and Mickie attacks her. Armbar, DQ. Picture perfect hip throw.
Alexa Bliss did nooooooooooothing. Wonder whyyyyyyyyyy