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WWE Monday Night Raw comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (April 15, 2013) from the Bi Lo Center in Greenville, South Carolina, featuring the return of CM Punk after spending just one week away following his loss to Undertaker at WrestleMania 29 last Sunday night in New Jersey.
Apparently, he's not taking any time off, despite the fact that he probably needs to with his list of injuries not getting any shorter. More interesting, though, will be how WWE decides to book him creatively.
Could that Brock Lesnar feud be sped up thanks to The Rock's recent injury troubles? Stay tuned!
Come right back here at 8 p.m. ET when the Raw live blog kicks off once the show starts on USA. It will be below this line here.
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WWE RAW RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR APRIL 15
Rex here. Let's mark out with our snark out.
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Randy Orton, Sheamus, and Big Show are going to be starting things off tonight.
Big Show vs Randy Orton and Sheamus
Sheamus will start things off against Big Show.
Big Show chokes Sheamus in the corner but Sheamus tries to fight out. Show responds with a side walk slam.
Sheamus is able to get Show tied up in the ropes and hits his forearm spot.
Show misses with a WMD. Sheamus goes up to and hits a double axe handle that brings down Show temporarily.
Show sends Sheamus out of the ring and he just beats the count.
Show with a series of chops to Sheamus and then hits a final cut.
Orton breaks up the pin attempt.
Show with another side slam that gets him a nearfall.
Show tries to go up top but Sheamus gets under him and hits an electric chair slam!
Sheamus gets the hot tag in and Orton goes to work on Show.
Orton with a draping DDT from the top rope and gets ready for the RKO.
Orton goes for the RKO but Show counters.
Sheamus interferes with a Brogue Kick and that gives Orton the chance to hit the RKO for the win.
Orton and Sheamus win by pinfall.
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3MB in the back with Josh Matthews and they are calling out the Shield. Love it!
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Back from break and 3MB is in the ring.
They are upset with the Shield's actions on Smackdown.
They want a hand written apology. This is gold.
Shield doesn't seem to be coming out.
LESNAR IS!
Brock hits the ring and just goes to town on 3MB.
Mahal hit with a belly to belly, McIntyre a F5, and Slater gets an F5 onto the barrier.
Heyman gets on the mic and says that Lesnar wants a fight against HHH.
They throw down the gauntlet for Extreme Rules and propose a steel cage match.
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United States Championship Match: Antonio Cesaro (c) vs Kofi Kingston
Cesaro yodeling on his way to the ring. I love that man.
Cesaro with some whips into the corner and a huge clothesline to Kingston.
Kingston with an attempt at a roll-up but is able to recover with some chops and kicks.
Boom Drop from Kingston.
Kingston misses with Trouble in Paradise and Cesaro nails Swiss Death for a two count as we head to break.
Back from break and Cesaro is working over Kingston in the corner.
Cesaro with a headbutt and a splash in the corner for a two count.
Cesaro with punches in the corner and the ref has to pull him off.
Kingston counters with the SOS but Cesaro gets a handfull of rop to stop the pin count.
Kingston with a Trouble in Paradise that knocks Cesaro out of the ring.
They get back in the ring and Cesaro with a huge slam for a two count.
Kingston with a boot and goes for a hurricarana off the top rope but Cesaro counters.
They are trading roll ups but Kingston ends up hitting the Trouble in Paradise for the win.
Kingston wins by pinfall to win the United States Championship.
Post-match and Kingston has a quick word with Josh Matthews saying that he has brought the title back home.
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The World Heavyweight Champion Dolph Ziggler is out now with Big E and AJ. I will never tire of writing that.
Ziggler is saying that he was the reason last week was the greatest Raw of all time.
He says he can top even that because he is the most charasmatic and athletic WHC of all time.
"Showing off is what you do when you are simply better than everyone else"
After a quick kiss from AJ he says that no one is good enough to take the title off him. Big E didn't look too pleased.
Del Rio comes out to interrupt the champ.
Del Rio wants to cash in his rematch right now but Ziggler doesn't seem to want it to happen.
Vickie is out now and says that the rematch is occurring right now.
World Heavyweight Championship Match: Dolph Ziggler (c) vs Alberto Del Rio
Right before the match can start Swagger and Colter are out to the ring.
Swagger gets in the ring and Del Rio knocks him out of the ring but Swagger recovers and goes after Del Rio's leg.
Swagger locks in a Patriot Lock on the outside.
Officials are able to get Swagger off of Del Rio as Swagger heads to the back.
No match tonight.
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Hell No vs Primetime Players
Bryan and Titus starting things off.
Bryan opens up with some kicks.
Titus drives Bryan into the corner and gets the tag into Young.
Young gets a boot and some uppercuts in before tagging back in Titus.
Quick offensive from Titus before he tags back in Young and they work a double team move on Bryan.
Young with a chinlock that Bryan fights out of and hits a running clohteslines.
Gets the tag into Kane who hits two corner splashes on Young.
Side slam from Kane for a two count.
Kane goes up top and hits a clothesline.
Titus tries to interfere but gets sent out by Kane and then hit with a running knee from the apron from Bryan.
Chokeslam from Kane and he tags in Bryan for the flying headbutt and the win.
Hell No wins by pinfall.
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Ryback video promo.
He says that WM29 was Cena's greatest night and Ryback's worse night.
"Only one place for us to go John. Me up and you down"
Ryback says he had no choice but to go after Cena.
Ryback says that Cena did help him out but now is not the time.
He says that people wish Cena was injured more often.
"A friendship with John Cena is nothing more than a promise of living in the shadow of John Cena"
This promo is great.
He calls himself the Kryptonite to Cena's Superman.
They are splicing in the moments of Ryback's struggles with Shield and how Cena didn't have his back.
"Where were you? Designing your latest t-shirt"
Ryback says that he is stepping out of Cena's shadow and claiming the title that should have been his.
Great promo.
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Wade Barrett vs r-Truth
Truth opens up with some clothesline and then some forearms in the corner.
Barrett fights his way out and nail a big clothesline.
Barrett sets Truth up on the turnbuckle and lands some forearms followed by a running knee for a nearfall.
Barrett with a chinlock but Truth fights out and lands some kicks.
Truth goes for the scissor kick but misses and Barrett hits a big boot.
Barrett goes for Wasteland but gets countered by Truth with a DDT for the pin.
R-Truth wins by pinfall.
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Team Brickie in the back.
Maddox says that Del Rio isn't clear to fight tonight.
Teddy Long says that he has a solution. Swagger vs Ziggler for tonight.
Brickie likes the idea and agrees.
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Khali and Santino out to the ring with Hornswaggle and Natalia.
Rhodes Scholars have come to save us all.
Rhodes Scholars vs Khali and Santino
Khali and Sandow starting things off.
Khali with an early chop and Sandow tags in Rhodes.
Khali tags in Santino.
Rhodes with some punches and a whip into the corner.
Sandow tags in and delivers a stomp to Santino before repeated punches.
Elbow of Disdain from Sandow for a two count.
Sandow works a chinlock and Santino fights out with some punches and a hip toss to headbutt.
The Cobra lands on Sandow and Rhodes tries to interfere.
Rhodes bails and Hornswoggle hits him with a mini Cobra that distracts Rhodes long enough for Khali to get involved.
Back in the ring and Sandow uses the distraction to get a roll up on Santino for the win.
Rhodes Scholars win by pinfall.
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Jerry Lawler in the ring with the mic. He talks about Fandango's win over Jericho and the Fandangoing craze.
They show us lots of clips of people doing it.
Out comes Fandango and the crowd doesn't seem to want to have any fun with it.
Jerry tries to ask Fandango a question but gets interrupted.
Fandango wants him to dance with him but Jerry doesn't want to and heads back to the announcing table.
Now that Fandango is encouraging the crowd they seem to have come alive a bit.
He starts saying his name and having the crowd do it along with them.
Since the crowd can't pronounce his name he says they can go "Fandango themselves" and he leaves.
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John Cena in the back with Striker and says that he will be out later to handle his business with Ryback.
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Jack Swagger vs Dolph Ziggler
Ziggler ducks under some Swagger clohteslines.
Ziggler with some punches but then he eats a big boot from Swagger.
Swagger starts to grind Ziggler down with his boot and then whips Ziggler into the corner.
He goes for a splash but Ziggler counters with an elbow and a neck breaker.
He tries to continue his assault but gets tossed onto the ropes by Swagger as we head to break.
Back from break and Ziggler has regained control.
Goes for a roll up and gets a two count.
Belly to belly suplex from Swagger for a nearfall.
Running knee from Swagger and he goes for the Swagger Bomb.
Ziggler counters the Swagger Bomb by getting his feet up.
Dropkick from Ziggler and he follows up with a DDT for a two count.
Swagger goes for a power bomb but ends up dumping Ziggler on the rope and gets a roll up for the win.
Swagger wins by pinfall.
After the match, Del Rio attacks Swagger as he heads up the ramp and locks in the arm bar on the stage.
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Sheamus is in the back and Mark Henry lays him out.
"That's what I do!"
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CM Punk out to the ring now with Paul Heyman.
Punk takes his time in the ring before he speaks.
Raw is Generico sign. Love it.
Punk says that he doesn't have much else to do after the past year+ he has had with his title reign and Undertaker match.
Dueling Undertaker and CM Punk chants erupt.
Punk gives Heyman a hug and just walks out of the ring.
That is how you make an exit.
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Long and Booker T in the back.
They are arguing and Long says that Swagger is now the number one contender.
Booker T makes a Triple Threat match for Extreme Rules.
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Kaitlyn vs Nikki Bella
Open up with a lock up and Kaitlyn pushes Nikki down.
Nikki is able to toss Kaitlyn out of the ring and slams Kaitlyn's head into the apron before rolling her back in.
Nikki works a submission on the ropes and as the ref pulls her off, Brie gets a cheap shot in.
Nikki with a nearfall and then works a stretch on Kaitlyn.
Nikki slams Kaitlyn's head down and gets a two count.
Nikki goes back to working the back stretch.
Kaitlyn is able to shake off Nikki and then hits a clothesline.
Kaitlyn with a shoulder tackle.
Kaitlyn hits her finisher and Nikki grabs hold of the ropes. The ref pulls Kaitlyn off of Nikki and the Bellas pull the switch.
Bri gets the roll up for the win.
Nikki wins by pinfall.
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John Cena out to the ring and he is holding out the mic for all the boos.
Cena says that the champ is here and invites Ryback to come out.
Ryback makes his entrance.
Cena says that he should be scared of Ryback but isn't.
He calls out Ryback for waiting until Cena's back was turned to attack.
They accidently cut to the Shield real quick.
Cena says he has been to war with many of his friends.
He understands what Ryback did but doesn't like how he did it.
Cena starts to get ready for a brawl.
Ryback and Cena are staring each other down.
Ryback just up and walks away.
Shield's music hits.
Shield circles the ring while Ryback is on the ramp.
Shield goes after Cena and start unloading on him in the ring as Ryback just stands by and watches.
Cena is knocked out and Ryback just finishes his walk up the ramp.
Shield with the triple power bomb and the fans chant for one more time as the Shield poses over Cena.
They stare down Ryback who just finishes walking to the back as we fade to black.
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