Sean Raw Sapp (4/17): Podcast Notes, Alexa Bliss Homecoming, More.

BRAAAAAAAAAAAAUN

• Braun Strowman gets a pretty nice reaction. He got some subsequently loud, but mixed reactions when bragging about injuring Roman Reigns
• Angle comes out and announces that Reigns will face Strowman at Payback.
• Strowman wants more competition "or else." Uh oh.

Samoa Joe submitted Chris Jericho

• "The Raw exclusive PPV, except for those matches that have Smackdown wrestlers"– Oops
• This was a fundamentally sound match, as expected. The Columbus crowd was hot for it. They need something to cheer about.
• Jericho looked like he was struggling to keep the Walls of Jericho on Joe.
• Samoa Joe holds the Kokina Clutch and finally taps Jericho — the U.S. Champ clean. They have Joe looking good.
• Rollins was on commentary. He's a personable dude.
• Samoa Joe cuts a pretty good promo, but says "you see." Nobody says that shit. C'mon playboy. He's mad Stephanie got hurt. 
• Seth Rollins got to use the main event promo curse word, so I fully believe WWE loves him.

Backstage crappenings

• Anderson and Gallows see The Drifter and nod at him.
• Braun Strowman kills Golden Truth. Huge babyface. Braun is hilarious and terrifying. Cameos from Adam Pearce, Jamie Noble, Finlay. Braun Strowman is hilarious, terrifying, awesome.
• Braun refuses to leave. Later he attacks Kalisto.
• HE THREW KALISTO IN THE TRASH CAN AND THAT'S MORE USE THAN SMACKDOWN MADE OF HIM! But really when they pitched that to Kalisto, he should have told them to get fucked. Big Show runs into him. 
• Braun is absolutely breaking that ring tonight. Bet on it. 
• Tozawa is happy to see Apollo Crews on Raw. Titus pitches Crews on the Titus Brand. 
• Jericho is about to put Mike Rome on the list, but puts The Drifter on instead.
• Alicia Fox, Dana Brooke, Emma. This was a pretty good segment where Emma manipulates everyone.
• Slater and Rhyno!!!! Yes!!! They get spooked by Strowman.

Anderson & Gallows defeated Enzo & Cass

• Ah god dammit, they make Anderson shoehorn in the United Airlines reference.
• Enzo and Cass got a nice pop as the surprise team.
• I really like the double team move where Cass launches Enzo into the corner. 
• I like Gallows' use of the double wristlock.
• Enzo took a nasty ass spinebuster.
• Enzo delivers a nice flying DDT, but there was a perfect tag interception from Anderson.
• A great big boot from Cass, but Anderson kills Enzo with a cool move to the corner.
• This was a lot of fun.

Miz TV

• Miz is mad about the perception that Dean Ambrose gives out in regards to wrestlers.
• It's Zubaz, not Zumbaz. Zubaz look a lot nicer that Zumba pants. Why do those women need ALL THOSE POCKETS while dancing?
• All three cut pretty good promos.
• Why did Ambrose empty the pockets on his jacket if he was going to take it off?

TJ Perkins defeated Jack Gallagher

• We get Neville and Aries dicking around to start things.
• This is the type of match I like seeing from the cruiserweights. It's different from everything else on the card.
• Gallagher does a scary dive.
• When Michael Cole says something is fun, I wonder what kids think.
• Gallagher almost kills TJP on the Mary Poppins Senton.
• TJP takes advantage of Neville and Aries fighting to win.
• This was good stuff.

Number One Contender Match
Alexa Bliss defeated Sasha Banks, Mickie James & Nia Jax

• Please don't botch and kill Alexa, Nia. 
• Mickie-Sasha matches will be fun.
• Sasha got caught on the rope on a dive, but it all worked out damn well
• Awesome armbar transition from Mickie James. 
• Nia Jax is so bad.
• These fire up comebacks where someone has to bump and get up like four times in rapid succession are rough.
• Despite the garbage match we're seeing, Sasha and Alexa's face off gets a great reaction.
• Alexa Bliss gets the win in her hometown, stealing one from Nia Jax.
• Fake hair and flappy pants makes things rough.

Finn Balor defeated Curt Hawkins

• Hawkins says facing him makes people main eventers.
• Balor answers his challenge, which is great news.
• This is a squash.

Jeff Hardy (w/ Matt Hardy) defeated Cesaro (w/ Sheamus) 

• Booker T calls this a dream match. I can't pretend I've ever dreamed of any Jeff Hardy match.
• Either way, it's pretty good heading into the commercial break. 
• There was a scary landing on Whisper in the Wind. Cesaro's leg almost took the weight of the fall.
• This was a really good test to see where Hardy was in the ring, and I thought he did pretty good. 

Braun Strowman vs. Big Show

• This ring is toast.
• Big Show with a baseball slide! What?!
• Braun Strowman forces an arm drag, then hits an uglier one.
• The ol suplex set up body slam. That's a safe way to do it.
• When wrestlers post up, we can tell they're kicking out. Stop posting your hand on other wrestlers before the kickout. We all see it.
• This is a great, slow paced match. Everyone knows Strowman is winning, and we all still love it.
• THEY BREAK THE RING! The ref takes a psycho bump!!! wow!