Match Ratings For WWE Raw 4/30/18, Podcast Notes From Sean Ross Sapp

Opening segment.

• It's hilarious that the WWE refs are only given names on TV these days when they're being SHAAAAAAAAAAAMED!
• This crowd doesn't like Roman Reigns. He says he doesn't need to say anything because the footage speaks for itself, and he's not the champion….YET.
• A Samoa Joe video interrupts, followed by Jinder Mahal, who says that he doesn't make excuses like Roman Reigns does.
• WWE sending mixed signals with their booking tonight, or just not anticipating reactions properly. Sami Zayn comes out to one of the best reactions in months. Zayn says he had vertigo and couldn't go to the Greatest Royal Rumble. 
• Kevin Owens is out next to another insane reaction. They both speak in French and the crowd chants "Oui!" Owens explains that means "yes." Then conducts a popularity contest, which he wins. Reigns punch him and everyone jumps Reigns. Jinder is a face in Montreal now.
• LASHLEY IS WEARING JOGGERS WATCH THE FUCK OUT. He makes the save to boos, but Braun Strowman gets cheered when he comes out and helps, too. Well, until they clear the ring at least. He tosses Sunil Singh over the top rope onto the "heels."
• Strowman should never ever ever ever help Roman. Even if it's a fire. 
• Three Canadians against three American Sirloin Beef Sunsabitches in Canada. Who are the heels? Just take it 1997

Elias defeated Bobby Roode via ref stoppage
6.25/10

• Elias is backstage drinking his special tea. In the ring he gets an amazing ovation and talks about who he eliminated from the Greatest Royal Rumble. 
• Elias tells the crowd to hold their applause and they go nuts. He's eventually and predictably interrupted by Bobby Roode. 
• Bobby Roode has the benefit of being from Canada, because his matches haven't been getting the hottest reactions of late. This is more of the babyface Bobby Roode work, you know, because he does moves off the top rope and that's WHAT A BABYFACE DOES. 
• Elias, on the other hand, keeps evolving and doing different things. In particular, he throws a heaving body slam and a mule kick during this match.
• Roode fights back with a nice spinebuster. The two are battling on the turnbuckles, leading to a Bobby Babyface Ballistic Lariat.
• Roode goes for his finish, and a couple of pin attempts are reversed. Elias slams Roode's throat into the ring post and Roode has to be helped out.

Authors of Pain defeated 3.0

• 3.0 are going by the name of Jean-Paul and Francois. What a rib on Triple H. Fantastic. 
• They get a great pop. And then their asses kicked real bad.
• Half of a Super Collider. The Last Chapter. That finish isn't good.
• AOP scream and shit. Okay. They're not great promos, but they'll be kept short and sweet.
• I think WWE really missed out not having Samoa Joe be the mouthpiece/leader for Authors of Pain. Spending time with him could only be good for them.

Rollins and Balor

• Seth Rollins. Awesome reaction. He speaks a little bit of French, which gets a big pop. He says he doesn't want to be the kind of champion that Brock Lesnar is, because Roman should be champ anyway. Eek. 
• Finn Balor interrupts and speaks French, Rollins has a laugh about it. Balor brings up their Greatest Royal Rumble match, and says they're 2-2 so far, and wants a rubber match for the title.
• Rollins asks the crowd, and accepts the fight. They shake hands but are interrupted by The Miztourage.
• The Miztourage want a stable with all four guys, and have crudely pasted shirts with all of their faces on them. They want to be the Four Horsemen of WWE.
• Rollins and Balor beat up Miztourage, but then Balor catches Rollins with the Eye Of The Hurricane.

Ruby Riott (w/ Riott Squad) defeated Sasha Banks
7.75/10

• A couple of things early I like — Ruby Riott hits the second rope instead of the top one, and Sasha stops her running with an overhead chop to the chest
• Sasha Banks flying armdrag and Thesz Press, and Ruby Riott push kick– both good spots.
• As inconsequential as it is, this is a really well worked match. They're mixing in some creative spots while slowing things down. I love the headscissor kick to the body.
• Ruby Riot hits a great freefall senton that could have been the finish. Sasha has Banks Statement on, but Riott Squad prevent the finish.
• Inside out knees from Sasha Banks onto Riott, then Meteora to Liv Morgan. A distraction sets up a Riott Kick to the rop roped Sasha, and Riott wins. This was an outstanding match.

Backstage Crappenings

• Alexa Bliss' latest segment focuses on Nia Jax bullying her for being short at Disney World, saying she wasn't tall enough for the teacup ride, and asked for a kids menu for Alexa at dinner.
• Titus O'Neil talks about his Greatest Royal Rumble fall, but Baron Corbin interrupts and makes fun of him.
• This is the FIRST co-branded PPV event…..except for those three that have already happened this year and were also co-branded!
• Deleter of Worlds segment, where Matt Hardy shows pictures of them superimposed into historical moments. 
• WWE just had Drew McIntyre cut a scripted promo explaining that the reason his promos are so good are because they're real. Ziggler says they're going to take the show. 

Braun Strowman, Roman Reigns & Bobby Lashley defeated Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn & Jinder Mahal (w/ Sunil Singh)
5.75/10

• This is unusual booking. Reigns as a "babyface" in general. Braun Strowman helping him.
• However, Zayn and Owens are working from underneath in this match, and Owens gets a big time pop when he runs in to help Zayn.
• Strowman isn't in the match at all for like 15 minutes while Reigns specifically gets worked over, sometimes Lashley.
• Reigns is almost put away with a pop-up Powerbomb, but he kicks out.
• Strowman is tagged in and there's no one else to beat up on his hot tag, so he plows through Owens and Zayn at ringside before being posted. 
• Lashley suplexes Zayn, but Owens accidentally whips Mahal into a spear. Reigns is kicked, but KO runs right into a running powerslam.
• WWE read the room like shit tonight. I literally can't understand the booking of this entire angle tonight. Braun Strowman palling up with Reigns makes no sense, and beating KO & Zayn with Braun (a babyface) in this town makes no sense. 

No Way Jose (w/ Conga Line) defeated Baron Corbin

• Baron Corbin comes out and trashes Titus O'Neil. His promos aren't good, but they're better than his Smackdown days. 
• Corbin hits a nice clothesline, but Jose battles back with strikes. No water in the pool on a body press.
• Titus Worldwide interrupt, and Apollo keeps Titus from slipping on the ramp, but he feigns falling off the apron.
• Corbin gets rolled up and pinned.

Natalya (w/ Ronda Rousey) defeated Mickie James (w/ Alexa Bliss)

• Natalya is joined by Ronda Rousey, and goes right after the arm of Mickie James.
• Mickie pulls a guillotine, but Natalya ends up with a discus lariat.
• Why is Natalya going after Alexa? She has Ronda Rousey on the outside of the ring. Rousey gives chase. Ronda Rousey with that Summer Rae level sprint.
• Natalya had her leg attacked, but pins Mickie James.
• Nia chases Alexa Bliss, and then goes face to face with Natalya and Rousey. She raises their hands and cheeses. Okay.

WWE Intercontinental Championship
Seth Rollins (c) defeated Finn Balor
8.25/10

• Rollins hits a suicide dive and goes for a second, but catches a kick to the grill.
• The crowd is behind this match.
• Balor teases a 1916, but does Eye of the Hurricane, I like that he can go in and out of those two moves depending on who he's facing.
• Coach says he talked to these two earlier about stealing the show, but the match was made during the show. Okay.
• Ripcord Knee after a Slingblade, but Balor kicks out at two.
• Rollins stops the coup de grace. I LOVE the story Balor and Rollins continue to tell that Rollins can't hit the Falcon Arrow off of the superplex. Balor hits his own. 
• Balor clotheslines Rollins out of the ring after an awesome DDT and connects on a tope con hilo.
• Coup de grace and two Curb Stomps miss, but Balor gets a Slingblade!
• Rollins slugs Balor with a superkick and hits the Curb Stomp for the win!!