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WWE Monday Night Raw comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (April 26, 2021) from the ThunderDome at Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida, featuring all the latest build to the upcoming WrestleMania Backlash event scheduled for next month at the same venue.
Advertised for tonight: Bobby Lashley returns after a week away to address his opponent at the upcoming PPV, Drew McIntyre. Speaking of McIntyre, he’ll be teaming up with Braun Strowman once again to take on the team of T-Bar and Mace in a rematch from last week. Plus, the latest in the women’s title scene, 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 26
Born into a world of hatred, nothing to live for. What started with a simple match turned into something more. The pain I felt inside my head came on my day of birth. Now the time has come for me to liveblog this here pro wrestling show for you, folks.
The show opens with a recap of last week’s Hurt Business business.
Mace and T-Bar get an inset promo about how they’re gonna show the whole world what it means to have no mask, no allegiance, only extinction.
Braun Strowman and Drew McIntyre have a confrontation backstage, Drew insisting he didn’t ask for help and Braun telling him all he needs to do is follow his lead. McIntyre puts over his bonafides and insists Strowman listing o him, but the monster’s not having it and promises to beat Extinction by himself.
Indeed, he yanks the mic out of poor ring announce Greg Hamilton’s hands and says this is a handicap match now.
Braun Strowman vs. Extinction (Mace & T-BAR) (Handicap Match)
T-BAR starting, Strowman rams him into the corner and clubs him down. Whip out of the corner, in control, he knocks Mace off the apron and stacks T-BAR up in the corner only for Mace to return and beat him down! Extinction gets the advantage off that, heat segment ensues, they put boots to him so bad that referee Shaun Bennett has to count it...
Braun Strowman wins by disqualification due to castigo de excesivo.
Drew McIntyre makes the save and beats Extinction down!
Drew and Braun stare each other down and we go to break.
Braun Strowman & Drew McIntyre vs. Extinction (Mace & T-BAR)
Back from commercial and the match is in progress because of course it is.
McIntyre and T-BAR trade heavy strikes, headbutt lays the Extinction man out and gets Drew a two-count! Mace tags in, grinding McIntyre down with an armbar, Drew counters with a side Russian legsweep, tags made! Braun freight training T-BAR, Drew tags back in, big neckbreaker, charge in, back body drop to the apron, McIntyre off the top with a diving lariat!
Kip-up, Future Shock spikes T-BAR, Braun comes in to brawl with Mace, Drew gets taken to the floor and can’t make it back in in time...
Extinction win by countout.
Post-match, Braun hits the running powerslam on Drew and yells at him to never hit him again.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial we get a video package for WWE’s charitable efforts partnered with Make-A-Wish.
Drew McIntyre rolls up on five-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion Adam Pearce and asks him for a match against Braun Strowman, tonight. Pearce says he can do that.
The Miz and John Morrison and Elias and Jaxson Ryker are in the ring.
Miz welcomes us to MizTV and introduces Elias as his guest.
Miz takes credit for the success of ticket sales for Bad Bunny’s recently-announced world tour and they want to offer something to prove how talented they are, so here it is, their very own concert. Elias talks it up and dedicates his performance to Shane McMahon. They proceed to play a terrible out-of-tune acoustic version of Miz and Morrison’s song.
They are, of course, interrupted mid-verse by Damian Priest.
He apologizes for interrupting their performance and says he just felt like he had to see it person, like he did at WrestleMania. Their performance moved him, so they have a surprise of their own, the New Day! They open Xavier Woods’ bass case and reveal that it’s full of tomatoes, which they throw at the heels to give them their estimation of their performance.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get a recap of what we just saw, because Raw is three hours long. (Three hours long.)
Damian Priest & New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. Elias, Jaxson Ryker, & the Miz
Elias and Woods to start, Xavier very quickly finding himself on the back foot as the heels work him over. Eventually he gets Miz back over, tag to Kingston, and the A-Lister finds himself being worked over. Miz breaks away when Priest tags in, and tags out to Ryker. Big men collar and elbow, shoving each other around the ring, side headlock, shot off, Damian with a legsweep, catch the kick, another one!
Elias tags in, he gets the sweep as well, Priest stands tall with New Day posing in the ring, back to the action, Kofi with a big crossbody for two! Morrison pulls Kofi off the apron, Miz drops him with a big boot, and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Miz beats Kingston down, Morrison grinds some tomato in Kofi’s face, tag to Elias. Final Cut for two, sleeper hold to grind the New Day man down. Ryker tags in, more of the same, cycle through to Miz and Kofi hits the SOS! Tags made, Priest in on Elias, duck a lariat, big back elbow, front kick, charging corner elbows!
Ryker catches one, Priest reverses, boxes his ears, and lays him out with a series of kicks! Elias floats over the suplex, Damian off the ropes with a lariat for two! Priest off the top with that lovely Shinjiro Ohtani spinning wheel kick, no good, Broken Arrow to Miz! Tag to Woods, Elias gets a nearfall off a knee strike! Tag to Ryker, double whip, big knee, duck a lariat, tilt-whirl, double Russian legsweep assisted by a missile dropkick... NOPE!
The match breaks down, Damian with a roundhouse, tag to Xavier as he this a tope con giro, Jaxson lays him out with an axehandle! Xavier catches him...
Damian Priest & New Day win by pinfall with an inside cradle from Xavier Woods on Jaxson Ryker.
We see Sonya Deville walking backstage.
She opens up an exterior door and lets Charlotte Flair in, walking her backstage despite her being suspended, to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Sonya Deville is in the ring and introduces Charlotte Flair.
They’re joined by referee Eddie Orengo.
Deville rolls footage of Flair attacking poor Eddie and says that she thinks that Adam Pearce’s decision to suspend Flair was rushed and she offers Charlotte a platform to say what she has to.
Flair gets on the mic and says she spent a week reflecting and she understands the error of her ways and wants to apologize to management, the WWE universe, and Eddie Orengo himself for her childish ways. She doesn’t understand what happened, and she’s here tonight to take the high road. She apologizes for manhandling Eddie and he accepts her apology and offers that if he had caught Rhia Ripley’s interference, Charlotte would have won.
Deville says that Charlotte’s suspension is lifted and she’ll be in action tonight, with Orengo as referee. Flair asks Eddie for an apology since he admitted it was his fault, and he apologizes before holding the ropes open for her and Sonya to leave through.
They walk into Gorilla and five-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion Adam Pearce is furious.
Sonya tries to apologize but he’s not buying it.
Sheamus makes his entrance, he’ll be offering another open challenge, after the break.
Back from commercial, five-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion Adam Pearce is complaining on the phone about Sonya Deville when Braun Strowman rolls up.
He’s down with fighting Drew McIntyre later tonight but wants to pick a bone because he didn’t actually lose the #1 contender’s match a few weeks ago and he wants a chance to earn a spot against Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania Backlash. Pearce gives him what he wants.
Sheamus is in the ring and on the mic.
He rolls footage of his beatdown of Humberto Carrillo last week and laughs about it before explaining that he beat him down before the bell because Humberto doesn’t belong in the ring with him. All the muscles on the kid and he still couldn’t stand up to his level! He calls for another challenger and clarifies the title will not be on the line.
Enter Humberto Carrillo.
Sheamus tells him he had his opportunity last week and he’s not going to fight him, and instead goes ahead and puts boots to the kid and beats him down. He mocks Humberto for being all bark and no bite but Carillo jumps him from behind and beats him down! Back body drop to the floor, dropkick, another, off the ropes... SUICIDE DIVE PUTS THE CELTIC WARRIOR OVER THE ANNOUNCE TABLE!
Montel Vontavious Porter and Bobby Lashley are walking backstage when they run into an interview.
They don’t want to deal in hypotheticals or juicy scoops, and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Rhia Ripley is interviewed.
She’s happy Charlotte Flair is back and maybe their paths will cross, but right now she’s focused on her trios match tonight and retaining the Raw Women’s Championship.
The Hurt Business make their entrance.
Bobby Lashley gets on the mic and talks about retaining the WWE Championship at WrestleMania, saying he’ll beat Drew McIntyre again and again, but now there’s a chance it’s a triple threat next month? They complain at length about the possibility of the title match changing
We get a recap of Matt Riddle beating Randy Orton last week.
A scooting Matt Riddle is interviewed and talks about how high he’s riding before calling himself a sexy little mongoose just as Orton rolls up. Randy says they have nothing in common and admits he underestimated him in their match last week and Matt earned his respect. He hates to admit it but the team name of RKBro is kinda cute so he went and booked them a tag match tonight, if Riddle wants it.
Matt is excited and pitches matching snakeskin speedos, but Randy shushes him and tells him to see how it goes tonight.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, Nia Jax is backstage with Reginald and Shayna Baszler.
She’s pretty upset about Charlotte Flair getting her suspension lifted and Shayna tells her to forget all that because the last thing they need is more distractions, and that includes Reginald. They bicker, Sonya leaves, and somebody delivers flowers to Nia. She thanks Reggie but he didn’t do it, and Angel Garza rolls up to take credit and wish her luck in her match tonight.
But then she walks past Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke and whacks them with the flowers, telling them to put them in water!
Braun Strowman is working out backstage when MVP rolls up.
They share a few tense words, and Braun tells him Lashley can come here and tell it to his face. He also threatens to win the title at WrestleMania backlash.
RKBro make their entrance to send us to break.
Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin vs. RKBro (Matt Riddle & Randy Orton)
Riddle and Alexander to start, Matt right off with a pair of Karelin lifts and into a sleeper hold, dragon screw counters, tag to Benjamin. The ex-Hurt Business guys work Riddle’s leg over at length, eventually Orton gets the hot tag and goes to that special place! RKO to Cedric, Shelton to the floor, looking for the hanging DDT, tag to Riddle, DDT connects, Matt off the top...
RKBro win by pinfall with the corkscrew moonsault from Matt Riddle on Shelton Benjamin.
We see Alexa Bliss and Lilly hanging out in the haunted playground to send us to break.
Asuka, Lana, & Naomi vs. Nia Jax, Rhea Ripley, & Shayna Baszler
Asuka and Baszler to start, the Empress pushing her into the corner and mockingly offering a tag. Ripley accepts and brawls with her, Alarm Clock connects, into the corner, tag to Naomi. Stinger Splash, quick tag, roll-through kicks, cover for one. Lana goes for a whip, denied, hip toss blocked, la casadora victory roll pin for two!
Grinding Lana down in a bodyscissors at some length, Sexy Muscle Friends come to ringside with a bucket of water and throw it at Shayna! Nia gives chase and she slips in the water!
And on that note, we go to break.
Back from commercial, Lana gets away, tag made, Asuka comes in hot and cleans house! Hip attacks for everybody but she can’t get the win! Kawada kicks, Shayna rolls her through, kicks of her own, tag to Jax, big elbow for two! Asuka sidesteps a charge, Uraken, kick, tag to Naomi! Springboard crossbody for two, another couple crossbodies, big forearms, whip blocked.
Springboard roundhouse kick sets up the headscissors driver... SHAYNA BREAKS IT UP! Rhea tags in, big back suplex facebuster and Asuka breaks it up! Ripley dumps her to the floor, back suplex, land on her feet, blind tag to Lana, Riptide hits Naomi and Lana comes in with a diving crossbody for two! Off the ropes, knees, second try crossbody gets caught, Asuka brawls with the tag champs on the floor!
Lana reverses something into a crucifix for two, Rhea with a kick, Riptide, tag to Nia...
Nia Jax, Rhea Ripley, & Shayna Baszler win by pinfall with a leg drop from Jax on Lana.
Alexa is hanging out with Lilly in the playground and she invites us to come play as we go to break.
Back from commercial we get some hype for tonight’s episode of Raw Talk.
Sonya Deville rolls up on Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke to berate them for pranking Nia Jax like they just did and punishing Mandy by giving her match against Charlotte Flair.
Cut to the playground with Alexa Bliss.
She says Lilly’s her BFF and understands her, a confidant, a mentor, the devil and angel on her shoulder, but guess what, you can have a Lilly of your own, you just have to ask nicely. She tells us to look into her eyes, concentrate, and think dark, twisted thoughts. We all have them, and you just have to say “Lilly” three times.
Then picture something peaceful, deep breaths, in and out, think about how peaceful it is, and then Lilly does a screaming jump scare and Alexa laughs about it. She thinks Lilly’s growing restless and now it’s time to unleash her on the rest of WWE.
Charlotte Flair makes her entrance to send us to break.
Charlotte Flair vs. Mandy Rose
Bit of light mat grappling to start, Flair in control, jawing at Dana Brooke at ringside and Rose hauls off and slaps her across the face! Shoulder blocks, beating the Queen down, whip across and referee Eddie Orengo almost gets crushed! Charlotte with a big boot, only two and she’s furious at Orengo! Distracted, Mandy goes for a schoolboy and nearly wins!
Knee lift gets another two, Charlotte lines it up...
Charlotte Flair wins by pinfall with Natural Selection.
Drew McIntyre walks into an interview backstage.
He criticizes Braun for complaining and says tonight only ends one way— with a Claymore.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get a commentary bumper for WWE’s partnership with Make-A-Wish.
Braun Strowman vs. Drew McIntyre
Collar and elbow, Strowman shoves him into the corner, McIntyre comes at him with a shoulder block and he shrugs it off! Drew with right hands, Braun lays him out with a shoulder block, McIntyre trips him up and dropkicks the knee to keep targeting it! Back body drop to the apron, Drew up top, Strowman body slams him and knocks him to the floor with a right hand!
Calling for it, to the floor but Bobby Lashley and Montel Vontavious Porter make their entrance to send us to break.
Back from commercial, McIntyre reverses a powerslam into a sleeper hold! Sidestep a charge, belly-to-belly on the monster, looking for the Claymore... STROWMAN REVERSES TO A POWERBOMB BUT CAN’T END IT! Countering a clubbing blow, Drew with elbows and a headbutt that knocks Braun on his back! Big spinebuster follows... STILL NO!
Stomp to the shoulder, Future Shock denied and Strowman sets him up top! Jockeying for position... BRAUN HITS THE SUPERPLEX! Crawling to the cover... NO! Stinger splash, piefacing Drew, Bobby Lashley running interference while MVP pulls McIntyre out of the powerslam! Future Shock connects, lying in wait... T-BAR and Mace show up, Braun scoops him up...
Braun Strowman wins by pinfall with a running powerslam, earning a spot in the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania Backlash.
Lashley looks on and fumes silently while Braun celebrates his win and commentary talks up the new title match.
Drew and Braun square up and stare each other down before pointing at Roberto, title held high.
That’s the show, folks.