Match Ratings For 4/13/20 WWE Raw From Sean Ross Sapp

Opening Promo

• Drew McIntyre jokes about the internet being negative sometimes and thanks everyone for the outpouring of support.
• I have never been negative on the internet so there’s more lies told by the WWE.
• Drew basically calls the highlights of his win over Big Show.
• This seems exactly like how they handled Rollins last year.
• Drew says he’s going to be a different champion. He’s going to be around and give people title shots that deserve it.
• Andrade is back and has Zelina, who reminds Drew of their NXT Title match.
• Drew runs down their history, and how Andrade beat him for the NXT Title and tore his bicep.
• They have a match set for tonight.
• Andrade cuts a bit of a promo in his own, where he says no more senor Nice Guy.

Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
Asuka defeated Ruby Riott
5.75/10

• Asuka’s dancing becomes significantly less charming when Jerry Lawler says “Man! Asuka has some moves!”
• Asuka is dancing to Ruby’s theme, and Ruby says she wants the real Asuka back and gets her ass kicked for it.
• Asuka resumes dancing.
• Riott gains some offense but there’s a weird bulldog spot. They start really laying it in after this.
• Riott escapes both an Ankle Lock and Asuka Lock. After a series of reversals, Asuka gains the tap with the Asuka Lock anyway.
• Backstage Asuka brags about her win, while Kairi laughs on and talks about her match with Nia Jax.

Other Stuff

• MVP announces Aleister Black vs. Austin Theory in a qualifying match next week. Apollo Crews will take on MVP next week in a Qualifying match. Also, Rey Mysterio vs. Buddy Murphy.
• Seth Rollins says his career has been crucified. After the commercial, he’s still there and says he’s still there for us and the Messiah has truly risen.
• Charlotte Flair cuts a promo saying that she beat the next big thing in Rhea Ripley, and proved what Vince McMahon knew last year — that she was the big thing.

Aleister Black defeated Oney Lorcan
6/10

• I just need WWE in canon to explain that NXT and Raw have a working relationship.
• There’s some really good mat wrestling, but you know this is breaking down into them knocking the shit out of each other.
• By now I think Aleister’s opponents know he’s not diving outside.
• Lorcan working for the full nelson was a personal favorite spot. Black has made the scissor sweep into a leg lock a regular move.
• Just some good chain wrestling going on here.
• Unsuprisingly, these two slug it out. Lorcan actually almost wins with a big clothesline. They are not treating him like a job guy.
• “This Oney Guy”- Lawler. Lorcan’s been signed since 2015.
• Black Mass wins it. This was good.
• I’m liking the post-match interviews

Becky Lynch

• Becky Lynch says the Joker is the only one who can get close enough to the Queen when talking about Shayna Baszler.
• She says she always has a plan, especially for whoever wins Money in the Bank, and will challenge whoever wins it.
• She says she’ll shock the world one more time.

Money in the Bank Qualifier
Shayna Baszler defeated Sarah Logan
SQUASH

• Baszler cracks Logan with a forearm and peppers her with punches.
• Way too many goddamn camera angle switches.
• Baszler stomps Logan’s elbow and the ref calls off the match.
• Mike Rome flubbed up and announced Sarah Logan as the winner. They corrected it later.

Austin Theory (w/ Zelina) defeated Akira Tozawa
5/10

• Zelina is all over this show. Interesting that they’re not just dropping Austin Theory back down after Mania.
• This match is fine, but nothing stands out besides Theory doing a standing moonsault early on. His matches so far has seemed like the guy wrestling how he thinks WWE wants him to work.
• Tozawa does a nice cannonball off the apron. ……….why did Lawler call Tozawa’s senton the “Ramen Noodle Moonsault?”
• Theory wins with the ATL.
• We have a manager-led stable on WWE Raw. I dig it. Angel Garza and Andrade come out and beat up Tozawa.

Angel Garza defeated Tehuni Miles
SQUASH

• Tehuni Miles actually trips Garza and eats an awesome dropkick as a result.
• The person Garza kissed was his fiance.
• A tree of woe lands for Garza, who is doing great.
• Wing Clipper wins it.
• He’s joined by his stable, who help him beat down Miles.

Money in the Bank Qualifier
Nia Jax defeated Kairi Sane
SQUASH

• Nia Jax kicks the shit out of Kairi while Asuka watches on backstage in horror.
• This couldn’t have been anyone else?
• Nia now calls the press slam into the Samoan Drop the Annihilator.

Lashley (w/ Lana) defeated No Way Jose
SQUASH

• Lana is screaming at Lashley from the outside. Lashley tells her to shut up.
• Jose has a great working punch, but gets suplexed overhead.
• Spear and a win for Lashley.

Viking Raiders defeated Ricochet and Cedric Alexander
6/10

• Oh man. I’m excited for this.
• Viking Raiders haven’t been on Raw in over a month.
• Ricochet and Alexander got matching gear that doesn’t look like anything that anyone else in WWE is wearing. I like that.
• The action here is insane. All over the place. Dives, and flips, and a change of pace that an already solid show needed.
• Viking Raiders toss Cedric over the top rope onto Ricochet. Ivar dives over the top on both of them.
• These are the kind of opponents Viking Raiders need. They’d already done every match to death with them.
• Cedric gets SQUISHED UP really good, but still kicks out. Commentary puts over the kickout very well.
• Viking Raiders completely botch the Viking Experience, which could have been avoided if this was taped.
• They win.
• Street Profits are backstage joking about Viking Raiders, but Bianca isn’t happy with that. She wants SP to beat them before talking trash.

Non-Title Champion vs. Champion
Drew McIntyre defeated Andrade (w/ Zelina, Austin Theory & Angel Garza)
5.75/10

• Zelina and Andrade are interviewed backstage, and they take exception to Charly’s questions.
• It’s a skeleton crew on tonight’s Raw, but it’s been a pretty solid show built around establishing Zelina’s stable.
• Drew takes over early, but gets distracted and Andrade attacks his arm. This is a good callback to their NXT match, and what Drew referenced earlier.
• There have been more slip-ups in the ring tonight than any Raw I can remember in a while. Andrade got tangled in the ropes.
• McIntyre is beating Andrade down with clotheslines. He throws Andrade onto his pals.
• They play back the injury spot from Takeover, but McIntyre gets out.
• Bammaslamma, Claymore, win.
• This was solid.
• Garza chop blocks McIntyre, and Seth Rollins attacks and stomps.
• Rollins really shouldn’t be in the title picture until he gets a couple of wins, so I hope they have him do that.

Rating Guide
10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor

Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a “star rating,” which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive “TV match” lands at a 5. The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.
These are opinions, and incredibly inconsistent ones that may change upon a second viewing, or sitting on the match for a period of time. Don’t take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own!