WWE Monday Night Raw comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (April 13, 2020) from the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, with all the latest build to the upcoming Money in the Bank pay-per-view (PPV) scheduled for next month.
Advertised for tonight: Becky Lynch and Drew McIntyre look ahead, and more!.
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. (REMINDER: NO GIFS OR PICS ARE ALLOWED IN THE COMMENTS SECTION. OFFENDERS WILL BE BANNED.)
WWE RAW RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR APRIL 13
I bash my head against a wall every day, you’d bash your head against a wall anyway. And then you took a look to see if I care, but I can’t, and I never did, what’d you expect me to give? You never deserved my respect. How many ways can you try? It burns a hole inside my mind, and now it’s time for me to liveblog this pro wrestling show.
The show opens into the intro video.
A recap of Drew McIntyre vs. Brock Lesnar follows.
McIntyre makes his entrance and calls the camera man into the ring. He addresses us directly through the camera and thanks us for the privilege of letting him in our living rooms (well, office in my case...) and the outpouring of positive reactions to him winning the title. It’s surreal that he won the title by beating Brock in less than five minutes and less than twenty minutes later, Big Show challenged him for the title and he defended it.
He talks about how that night sets the tone for what kind of champion he’s going to be, and his mission statement is thus: If you deserve an opportunity at the title, you get an opportunity at the title. He can’t articulate how much the title means to him—
Enter Andrade “Cien” Almas, flanked by Zelina Vega.
Vega gives her man a big intro and Drew says he knows exactly who Almas is. Zelina says he sounds like something out of Braveheart but for real they just wanted to congratulate him in person. Who else can say they had two WrestleMania moments in the same night? That’s pretty impressive, but Andrade suffered an injury that robbed him of his moments, and coming off the biggest night of his career, it’d be a shame if someone were to injure Drew and take the title away from him.
McIntyre says he remembers what happened last time they fought, and he not only lost the NXT Championship, but had his bicep torn off the bone and lost six months of his career. Since Almas doesn’t do much talking, he better listen. He wants this match, champion vs. champion, he’s got it. Tonight. Andrade replies, saying last time he took his title and took him out, and tonight, no more senor nice guy.
Commentary hypes up our women’s Money in the Bank qualifying matches as well as an appearance from Becky Lynch.
Backstage the Kabuki Warriors are getting ready to send us to break.
Back from commercial, commentary hypes up our champion vs. champion main event.
Asuka vs. Ruby Riott (Women’s Money in the Bank Qualifying Match)
Circling, Asuka jawing at her in Japanese, Riott with a side headlock, off the ropes, shoulder block, Asuka wide-eyed and fired up and Ruby lays forearms in. Off the ropes, jockeying for position, shoulder block, only two. Piefacing her, Asuka with an armbar takedown, arm wrenches, stomps to the shoulder and a kneeling armbar. Forearms in the corner, back elbow, pop-up into a headscissors but Asuka counters with the Alarm Clock for two.
Choking Riott in the corner, top wristlock over the middle rope, a hip attack blasts Ruby off the apron and Asuka follows it up with a sliding knee! To the floor, Riott throws her over the barricade but Asuka nails her with a roundhouse kick and poses on the barricade! Dancing, she sends us to break.
Back from commercial, Asuka has an armbar and Riott rides to her feet. Mat slam connects, sidestep the hip attack, kick in the ropes and then Ruby kicks the Empress to the floor. Back inside, cover for two, whip into the corner, charging forearm. Riott with some separation, laying kicks in, off the ropes, roll-through into a cover for two.
Riott Kick countered into an ankle lock, leg-trap German suplex follows and Asuka is fired up! Sliding knee, only two! Corner kicks from Ruby, senton off the second but the Empress catches her into the Asuka Lock... REVERSED TO A PIN FOR TWO! Riott gets a Rings of Saturn, kicks to the head, Asuka rolls into a pin, cover for two, cruficix from Ruby, again just two!
Asuka shifts...
Asuka wins by submission with the Asuka Lock to qualify for the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match.
Post-match, Asuka is interviewed and mostly just screams in Japanese, but of course... nobody is ready for Asuka.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, Montel Vontavious Porter welcomes us to the VIP Lounge.
He’s got breaking news for next week— three Money in the Bank qualifying matches. He explains the concept of Money in the Bank and gives us the matches— Buddy Murphy vs. Rey Mysterio, Aleister Black vs. Austin Theory, and Apollo Crews vs. MVP! And if you’d like to place a wager, place it on him, because he is straight-up ballin’.
Aleister Black vs. Oney Lorcan
Lorcan with a waistlock, Black reverses to a front chancery, Oney takes him down into a grounded waistlock. Aleister to his feet, side headlock, Black reverses, pin, cover for one, back to the front chancery, into the ropes for a clean break. Side headlock, Lorcan blocks the shoot off, Aleister goes low for a schoolboy and follows with a tight arm drag into the armbar.
Oney escapes but gets caught in the armbar again, scoop puts Black over the ropes and an uppercut drops him to the floor! Off the ropes, Black slips back inside, quebrada, snapmare into a cover, roundhouse kick sends Lorcan to the floor and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Lorcan in control with uppercuts in the corner but Black nails him with a back elbow. Duck the lariat, half nelson, blocked with back elbows and they start slugging it out with uppercuts. Whip across, big elbow, cover for two! Struggling over the half nelson, full nelson, Aleister struggling but he flexes and breaks free. Double leg into a half-crab from Oney to keep the pressure up!
Rolling through, upkicks, Lorcan backs off and Black collects himself. Back elbow, bodyscissors takedown into a heel hook. Sol Naciente follows but Oney gets the ropes! Elbows follow, Aleister with kicks, a legsweep, sliding knee into a kip-up! Quebrada, nobody home, Lorcan drops him with a lariat... NOPE! Half nelson suplex lift, reversed into a victory roll and Oney hammers him with chops to the throat!
Pump kick, lifting Lorcan up for it...
Aleister Black wins by pinfall with Black Mass.
Post-match, Black is interviewed about his match against Austin Theory next week.
He says his gameplan is to win. Well said.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, commentary hypes up the show yet to come and tosses to a recap of Becky Lynch retaining her title at WrestleMania.
Becky Lynch makes her entrance and gets on the mic.
She says it’s only been a couple weeks since she stood here last and then talks about beating Shayna Baszler. She wants to clear up some of the confusion, and she told her this was going to be a test of heart vs. skill, but it was actually a battle of the mind. A lot has been said about her lately, and maybe she’s arrogant, or maybe she let us think that.
She continues in the same vein, and says the only person that can get close enough to the Queen to destroy her is the joker that she thinks poses no threat, and that’s why she’s still champ. That brings her to the Money in the Bank ladder match, and she’s here to challenge whoever wants the title the most to win, use the contract, and name a time and a place and find the champ waiting.
She always has a plan, but she promises she’ll shock the world one more time no matter who wins.
Andrade “Cien” Almas and Zelina Vega are interviewed backstage.
Vega asks who comes up with these questions and if we’re talking about dominant title reigns, Almas is your guy. WrestleMania was one night for Drew, but Andrade’s been defending his title month after month against the best WWE has to offer, and the last time McIntyre was champion, Almas dethroned him. Andrade adds a note of his own about how he’s gonna win and we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get some hype for The Big Show Show on Netflix.
Backstage, Shayna Baszler is interviewed but refuses to comment.
Sarah Logan vs. Shayna Baszler (Women’s Money in the Bank Qualifying Match)
Baszler with a hard forearm out the gates, taking mount and raining forearms down, reversee Eddie Orengo tries to pull her off as she keeps hammering away at Logan. He finally gets her to separate... BASZLER STOMPS THE HOLY HELL OUT OF SARAH’S ARM! ORENGO CALLS IT!
Sarah Logan wins by disqualification, presumably— she was announced as winner but no mention of whether or not she qualified for Money in the Bank.
Shayna Baszler wins by referee stoppage to qualify for the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match.
Five-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion Adam Pearce helps her out of the ring while commentary discusses the finish and seems to come to the conclusion that it was a misannounced referee stoppage.
A monotone Seth Rollins talks about how his career has been crucified by his loss to Kevin Owens and we go to break.
Back from commercial, commentary clarifies that Shayna Baszler did in fact win by referee stoppage and has qualified for Money in the Bank.
Akira Tozawa vs. Austin Theory
Theory playing with Tozawa from the bell, disdainful kicks, a knee to the midsection, back suplex, Akira lands on his feet, duck the lariat, front kick into an enzuigiri, another enzuigiri, charging in for mounted punches in the corner but Austin Hot Shots him! Stomp to the midsection, prowling after his prey, hammering him with mounted forearms and grabbing a rear chinlock.
Hammer whip, staying in control, lateral press is only good for two. Standing moonsault, again just two, kneeling armbar, grabbing his free arm, turning it into kind of a modified Ode to Jim Breaks before snapping Tozawa’s arm down! Side headlock, backbreaker, back to the kneeling armbar but Akira counters with a Frankensteiner! Austin to the floor, a pump kick hits him through the top rope, Tozawa off the ropes but the former Evolve Champion dodges.
Cannonball off the apron connects hard, back inside, missile dropkick... NOPE! Waistlock applied, Theory denies the Everest but Akira gets a Tozawa Right and then locks the octopus hold on! Countered into a fireman’s carry... TKO!
Austin Theory wins by pinfall with his TKO, which is now called ATL, which is a much better name than TheoryKO.
Post-match, Vega’s boys attack Tozawa and Almas takes him out with a hammerlock DDT hanging off the middle rope!
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get a preview for a WWE Network documentary about Drew McIntyre’s rise to the top.
Backstage, Rey Mysterio is interviewed about the prospect of finally becoming Mr. Money in the Bank.
He talks about how he lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Money in the Bank winner Kane back in 2010, and nobody knows better than he how dangerous that contract can be. But first he needs to beat Buddy Murphy to qualify. He respects Murphy and puts him over, but says Buddy doesn’t want it enough, and he’s gonna be the one cashing in this year.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, monotone Seth Rollins is talking again.
This time it’s about how everybody needs to have faith in something and he’s still here for us as our messiah, and he has truly risen.
Angel Garza vs. Tehuti Miles
Squash match city, folks. Miles puts on a good show early and stops Garza from just toying with him, but Angel turns up the gas and soon enough...
Angel Garza wins by pinfall with the Wing Clipper.
Post-match, Zelina Vega and her other two boys roll up and Theory and Almas get in the ring to surround poor Miles... ELEVATED HAMMERLOCK DDT!
Kabuki Warriors are interviewed backstage.
They dance into frame and Asuka says Ruby Riott wasn’t ready for her. Kairi Sane, for her part, says “Confidence?” and dances off laughing when asked about her match against Nia Jax tonight to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Drew McIntyre is interviewed backstage.
He points out a scar on his arm and how it reminds him of Andrade “Cien” Almas and the loss of his NXT Championship and six months of momentum. He was this close (fingers pinched) to taking everything away from him, but Drew worked his ass off and became WWE Champion. Strong words, whoopty-doo, he promises he’s gonna hurt Andrade, he’s gonna Claymore him, and if he has to take six months off, then so be it.
Kairi Sane vs. Nia Jax (Women’s Money in the Bank Qualifying Match)
Sane charges in and Jax pushes her aside with zero effort! Go-behind, waistlock, Nia slings her aside and Kairi heads up top. Clubbing away, jumping over her, miming climbing the latter, bit of matador action but a dropkick does nothing! A second, Jax shrugs her off and throws her to the floor while Asuka watches excitedly backstage, cheering her partner on.
Back inside, Nia with a scoop and a slam, slapping Sane’s face, clubbing her down with lariats, bieling her across the ring. Military press, marching around the ring before dropping it into a Samoan drop...
Nia Jax wins by pinfall with the military press Samoan drop, freshly dubbed the Annihilator, to qualify for the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, newly minted NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair makes her entrance.
She gets on the mic and gives us a history lesson about how she won the Royal Rumble and eventually went on to win the NXT title on her shoulder. She talks about being the biggest thing going and how last year Vince McMahon selected her to save the main event of WrestleMania. Rhea Ripley wants to be just like her, but she lacks humility, and that’s why she’s standing here to remind us that there will always be someone better.
She’s going to remind NXT of humility. Next in line? Io Shirai. She’s not just here for victories, but to teach lessons, and lesson one? Everyone bows down to the Queen.
A recap of Bobby Lashley’s loss to Aleister Black and falling out with Lana follows.
He’ll be in action after the break.
Back from commercial we get some hype for this week’s edition of WWE Backstage.
Bobby Lashley vs. No Way Jose
Lashley with a go-behind to a waistlock, Jose breaks with a back elbow but Bob hammers him down with elbows of his own and follows them with a lariat as Lana screams from ringside. Smashing No Way into the corner, right hands on right hands, Lashley breaks it off to go outside and ask Lana to shut the hell up. Back inside, Jose with a big right hand but he gets caught with the overhead belly to belly suplex!
Lying in wait, distracted by Lana, Bob’s eyes go off the prize and No Way gets a tight nearfall off an overrotated schoolboy pin! Huge thrust spinebuster sets him up, Lashley charges in...
Bobby Lashley wins by pinfall with the spear.
Another monotone Seth Rollins promo follows. He tells the nonbelievers he’s been left no alternative, and tonight he stomps out all doubt.
We’re promised Viking Raiders in action, after the break.
Cedric Alexander & Ricochet vs. Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar)
Ricochet and Erik to start, trading strikes with aplomb, back body drop comes up empty, back handspring and Erik takes the One and Only out! Clear the apron, tag to Ivar, powerbomb lift but Ricky rolls through it and staggers Ivar, Frankensteiner takes Warbeard out and Cedric dives on Erik! Moonsault from Ricochet for two, Ivar stacks ‘em up but he gets sandwiched by kicks and taken out by a tornado DDT from Alexander!
A two count, front chancery applied, tag to Erik, Cedric staggers him with a forearm and gets two off of it! Ricochet tags in, slingshot senton atomico, cover for two, well in control on the big man but he dodges a plancha and tags Warbeard in before bieling Ricky over the top and to the floor to take Alexander out! Ivar with a suicide dive to send us to break!
Back from commercial, Erik has Alexander locked down by a kneeling armbar. Cedric posts to his feet but Erik puts him in the corner for the tag. Big knees from the vikings, snapmare sets up a fist drop from Ivar for two. Quick tags, scoop and a slam, Erik slams Warbeard on him, cover for two. Pressing the attack, Cedric gets a cartwheel dropkick and the slingshot reverse STO for some separation!
Tags made, springboard crossbody from Ricky, dropkick, charging uppercut, dropkick into an enzuigiri to take Erik out! Tiger feint kick for Warbeard, shoulder block, springboard lariat back to Erik! Running shooting star press.... NOPE! Tag to Alexander, Neuralyzer misses, Erik hits the judo throw into the hard knee and tags out to Ivar! Banzai Drop into the cartwheel lariat, side slam for Cedric!
Low crossbody, tag to Erik, shotgun knees set up an assisted hip attack from Warbeard! Hart Attack, Ricochet comes in and eats Death Rowe into a leg lariat! Popping Cedric up...
Viking Raiders win by pinfall with the Viking Experience on Cedric Alexander.
We get some hype for our main event and go to break.
Street Profits are interviewed.
They introduce Bianca Belair and put over the accomplishments of vikings in a historical sense. Bianca asks why they’re playing around and when the last time they beat Viking Raiders is, pointing out they get whooped every time and need to stop with the games and get that smoke.
Andrade “Cien” Almas vs. Drew McIntyre
Almas and Vega in McIntyre’s face before the bell, slapping him, which gets him to tell them to hit him all they want, they belong to him.
Bell rings, overhand chop from Andrade and Drew headbutts Almas down! Striking away in the corner, stomps, whip across, up and over and McIntyre nails him with an upkick with precision timing! Andrade to the floor, his buds check on him but Drew slams him rib-first into the barricade! Big chop, jawing with Theory and Garza and it gives Andrade the chance to whip McIntyre shoulder-first into the post twice!
Breaking the count, chops, smashing Drew’s hand into the steel steps and throwing more forearms, chops, and knees! Shoulder armbreaker, back inside, hammerlock blocked so he shifts into an armbar takedown but McIntyre stands firm and whips him into the ropes. Almas gets to the apron... CROSS ARMBAR IN THE ROPES! Andrade with forearms, off the ropes, Drew catches him with a lariat and then a back elbow!
Off the ropes, big boot, McIntyre headed up top, diving lariat into the kip-up! Drawing Almas up, clubbing him down, Future Shock reversed into a hard back elbow! Clubbing forearms, Drew shrugs off interference from the goons and back body drops Andrade over the ropes and into them! Drawing Theory up, he chops him down before taking Almas back inside.
Up top again, Zelina with the distraction and Almas cuts him off. Looking for the elevated DDT but Drew slips out and counters with a headbutt! Inverted Alabama Slam, lying in wait...
Drew McIntyre wins by pinfall with Claymore.
Post-match, Angel Garza takes Drew’s legs out—
SETH ROLLINS IS HERE! SUPERKICK! BLACKOUT!
He lies in wait... A SECOND BLACKOUT!
That’s the show, folks.