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WWE Monday Night Raw comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (April 18, 2022) from the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, featuring all the latest build to the upcoming WrestleMania Backlash pay-per-view (PPV) set for early next month in Providence, Rhode Island.
Advertised for tonight: Kevin Owens gives Ezekiel a lie detector test to determine if he is, in fact, Elias just without a beard and new gear, R-Truth presides over a double wedding with Reggie marrying Dana Brooke and Akira Tozawa marrying Tamina Snuka, more on Sonya Deville challenging Bianca Belair for the Raw women’s championship, Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins now have a date for their rematch, and more!
Come right back here at 8 p.m. ET when the Raw live blog will kick off once the show starts on USA Network. It will be below this line here.
WWE RAW RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR APRIL 18
Listen! I’m a corpse, I’m a corpse, I’m a corpse without soul. Satan! He’s taken, he’s taken, he’s taken his toll and he took it out on me. I! I’m trapped, I’m trapped, I’m trapped in his spell. Tonight! I’m going, I’m going, I’m going to Hell, and I’m liveblogging this here pro wrestling show while I do it.
The show opens with a recap of all the Cody Rhodes business from last week.
Seth Rollins makes his entrance and gets on the mic.
He says it’s a party out here tonight and nobody wants to party alone, so he has an invitation to his WrestleMania Backlash opponent himself, Mr. Cody Rhodes.
Enter Cody Rhodes.
Seth asks how he feels and Cody says this feels familiar, being in this ring, in this city, across from Rollins, and this is Rhodes Country, but he invited him out here, so what’s he want to talk about. Seth says he’s had a lot on his mind, but more than anything this is about respect.
Cody interrupts him to play to the crowd and Seth tells him never to do that again, so of course he immediately does it again. Rollins says he was gonna tell him how much respect he has for Cody, for his brother, for his dad, for his long journey, for going away and working hard to come back as the American Nightmare.
But instead he wants to remind him that all that hard work is nothing because Seth Rollins made him a star in one night at WrestleMania, baby! Rhodes asks him to get to the point, and Seth says at WrestleMania he had an unfair advantage, coming in as Mr. McMahon’s surprise opponent, and he didn’t have the proper time to prepare.
It all comes down to this— Seth thinks he’s better than Cody in every metric and that Rhodes is just the flavor of the month. Cody wants to win the WWE Championship? Well Seth’s been to the mountain, and that makes him better than you. Rhodes corrects him and says he’s actually won the title four times.
Four times to Cody’s none, but with all of that whole tantrum, it doesn’t change what happened at WrestleMania. Rhodes wants to involve a neutral party, the good folks of Buffalo, New York. The crowd is kind of lukewarm but on Cody’s side, and Seth doesn’t like that.
He wants the shoe on the other foot and to give Cody a surprise opponent in the main event tonight, picked by himself. Rhodes says Seth already knows the answer and so does everyone else. He didn’t come back to WWE to run from challenges, and absolutely yes he’ll face Seth’s mystery opponent!
Commentary hypes up the rest of tonight’s card.
Boss and Glow make their entrance to send us to break.
Boss and Glow (Naomi & Sasha Banks (c) vs. Live 4 Brutality (Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley) (WWE Women’s Tag Team Match)
Ripley and Banks to start, circling, Rhea with a big dropkick, throwing her into the corner, shoulder thrusts, quick tag to Morgan. The action goes to the floor, the challengers lay waste to the champions and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Naomi counters a bodyscissors with a pin! Ripley takes her down with a lariat, tag to Morgan, electric chair assisted bulldog isn’t quite timed right but still gets two! Liv with a kneeling powerbomb, Rhea goes for the Riptide and gets it... BUT SASHA BREAKS IT UP!
Back and forth...
Boss and Glow win by pinfall from Sasha Banks on Rhea Ripley to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship.
Post-match, Rhea and Liv bicker, Morgan tries to get her to stay but Ripley is done. She turns around at the ropes and gives her an earful about it before laying Liv out and walking out.
We get a recap of Sonya Deville attacking and challenging Bianca Belair last week.
Sonya makes her entrance to send us to break.
Back from commercial we get a recap of what we just saw, because of course we do.
Rhea Ripley is interviewed as she walks along backstage, but she yells at the interviewer and denies her an explanation.
Sonya Deville is in the ring and gets on the mic.
She wants to address people’s accusations that she’s abusing her power and reminds us she was always a competitor and still is, and she got forced into her role as a WWE official. Did she make the most of that position? Absolutely, and when she saw a window of opportunity, she took it.
She wants to fight the best, and it’s nothing personal against Bianca Belair, it’s just business. If anybody has an issue with that—
Enter Bianca Belair.
Deville says she knows she’s fired up about the match but she’s an official right now and if she lays one finger on her there’ll be repercussions. But their match won’t happen her in Buffalo, it’ll happen somewhere Belair really doesn’t want to lose, next week in her home town of Knoxville, Tennessee.
She mocks Bianca and finally takes it a step too far as Belair picks her up into a backbreaker rack! Sonya threatens her with fines and suspensions and Bianca flexes her a few times before dropping her!
Veer Mahaan makes his entrance to send us to break.
Jeff Brooks vs. Veer Mahaan
I came in late because I was helping my wife look fo something in the kitchen briefly, but it’s a squash match against enhancement talent.
Veer Mahaan wins by submission with the cervical clutch.
Post-match he applies the hold again and again until he gets pulled off by referees and road agents (including Jamie Noble and Shawn Daivari)
Backstage, Adam Pearce is chatting on the phone when Sonya Deville rolls up to ask him what he’s doing about Bianca Belair putting hands on her.
Adam says it’s being taken care of but she better worry about her own conduct, because she’s being officially investigated. She complains more and Pearce says Belair is being fined. She asks how much and Bianca rolls up herself.
She’s here to pay her fine, which is a crisp dollar bill that she hands to Adam. Sonya is apoplectic about the idea of a one dollar fine, but he says he did it by the book.
Kevin Owens makes his entrance to send us to break.
Back from commercial we see Jeff Brooks getting stretchered out after the beatdown Veer Mahaan put on him.
Kevin Owens is in the ring with Chad Gable to host the Kevin Owens Show.
He gets on the mic and runs down Ezekiel as a fraud and promises to prove that he is in fact Elias with a lie detector test. Normally he’d administer the test himself, but to prove he’s not biasted, he got the smartest man in WWE to run the test, and then he’ll beat him in match afterwards!
Chad thanks him for having him back and says he’ll remain objective tonight and uncover the truth.
Enter Ezekiel.
He thanks Kev for having him and starts in on how he’s not actually Elias, and Owens cuts him off and insists that he is actually Elias. Ezekiel says he wants to take the test, but first he’s got one question for everyone in Buffalo— who wants to hear Zeke speak?
They hook him up to machine and calibrate it asking him if the sky is blue and to answer it correctly and if it’s Monday and to answer incorrectly, and he does so but KO jumps on Monday as a lie until Gable explains that he’s calibrating the machine. Chad asks a question about Gable Steveson and loses his mind a little but Kev tells him to stay focused.
The first real question, “is your name Ezekiel”, he answers yes and he’s telling the truth, which Owens doesn’t like. Chad follows it up with if Elias is his older brother, and Ezekiel says yes, which is also true. KO says it’s impossible and asks Gable to ask better.
Owens asks if his real name is Elias, which Ezekiel says no, and the lie detector reads true! He says all signs point to him actually being who he says he is, and Kev kicks Chad out of the ring.
Ezekiel gets in his face and says he’s had enough and he’s tired of playing law and order and being called a liar by the biggest liar in WWE. KO says he doesn’t know how he’s fooling the test but he is, and if Zeke wants his first match in Canada’s landfill of Buffalo, New York, that’s fine, but he wants him to admit the truth, or else.
“Or else what” is the natural response but Kevin simply leaves the ring and Gable attacks Ezekiel from behind to send us to break.
Chad Gable vs. Ezekiel
Ezekiel rushing in and lighting Gable up with punches, biel across the ring, running boot sends Chad to the floor! Zeke follows after, big chop, suplex lift drops him into the steel steps! Back inside, falling lariat for two! Whip reversed, boot blocked, Gable with a dragon screw in the turnbuckles!
More dragon screws, stepover knee drop, leg snap, wrenching in a stepover toehold but Ezekiel kicks him away eventually. Big lariat, knee hurting, right hands, up and over into a mule kick! Exploder suplex from Chad, spinning spinebuster from Zeke sets up an Achilles Lock but Otis attacks...
Ezekiel wins by disqualification.
Alpha Academy leave together.
We get a recap of the build to the tag title unification match.
RK-BRO make their entrance and we go to break.
RK-BRO (Matt Riddle & Randy Orton) vs. Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford)
Orton and Dawkins to start, Randy quickly pulling ahead and making the tag to work him over with Riddle. Ford tags in, big dropkick into a kip-up, back suplex, headed up top but Matt runs up and cuts him off with a suplex and we go to break!
Back from commercial, Ford and Riddle brawling, going punch for punch and kick for kick but Montez falls into a tag! Riddle kicks him away and tags out, leaving Orton to come in fired up! Snap scoop powerslam, tandem hanging DDTs, Riddle tags back in and goes to that special place—
The Usos music plays but they don’t appear.
Profits take advantage, electric chair...
Street Profits win by pinfall with the blockbuster Doomsday Device on Matt Riddle.
Post-match the Profits get on the mic and wonder aloud who would miscue the Usos’ music at such a critical time.
They remind RK-BRO that the Usos aren’t the only team they need to worry about and make their exit.
We get a recap of Edge and Damian Priest stuff and they cut a promo backstage.
Damian Priest says we’re probably wondering why they’re going after AJ Styles so hard and we’re wondering who they are. Edge says mindgames have always been part of him and these seeds were planted twenty years ago with the Brood. We’re all asking why and it’s real simple.
They haven’t lived up to their true capabilities, consider last year when Damian Priest took a backseat to Bad Bunny and how he didn’t have a match this year. And what does he have to complain about? He had to beg for someone to fight him at WrestleMania.
He fought and scratched and clawed and bit to come back and it only took two years for people to start complaining about him being back. He’s finally decided to not care what we think and take back what he never lost, and they’ll pass judgment on anyone standing in their way.
Right now that’s AJ Styles, and he’s officially challenging him to a rematch at WrestleMania Backlash. They don’t care if it’s fair, they’re seizing the day, and it’ll be AJ’s judgment day.
Austin Theory makes his entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial, AJ Styles is interviewed.
He says if Edge is the judge then Damian is his big fat bailiff, and he accepts the challenge but Edge can save his judgment—
The lights flicker and turn blue and Edge and Priest appear to beat Styles down!
Austin Theory vs. Finn Balor (c) (WWE United States Championship)
Circling, collar and elbow, wristlock, reversed, side headlock, shot off and Theory lays him out with a shoulder block. Balor with a backhand, shoulder thrusts in the corner, chops in the next corner, elbow on the charge, Austin grabs a reverse chinlock to slow him down.
Finn out with a jawbreaker but Theory trips him up and takes him to the floor for hanging neckbreaker off the apron that sends us to break.
Back from commercial, Theory with knees that set up a double stomp, Balor explodes off the ropes with a forearm and chops, whip reversed, Austin with a spinning side slam for two! Back inside, rolling thunder dropkick... COUNTERED INTO A SITOUT POWERBOMB! Finn’s rolling, Sling Blade, shotgun dropkick, headed up top... but Theory cuts him off!
Arabian Press Spanish Fly... NOT ENOUGH! Balor with a lariat that sends Austin to the floor and he follows it up with a tope con giro! Back inside, Theory gets control...
Austin Theory wins by pinfall with ATL to become the new WWE United States Championship.
Post-match, the heel locker room empties to celebrate, and even Vincent Kennedy McMahon makes his entrance to celebrate his guy’s title win.
Austin walks up to Mr. McMahon, title on his shoulder, and takes a selfie with him before having his hand raised.
Backstage, Seth Rollins is interviewed.
He says he’s chosen Cody Rhodes’ opponent for tonight but he will not share this man’s identity with us.
R-Truth makes his entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial, the grooms and wedding parties are in the ring for our double marriage.
R-Truth tells everyone to simmer down and zip it, and reminds everyone that during this ceremony for the marriages of Dana Brooke & Reggie and Akira Tozawa & Tamina, the 24/7 Championship rules are suspended and no one can challenge for it.
Truth introduces our brides and their make their entrances.
R-Truth begins the ceremony and Dana Brooke corrects him that her last name is in the singular.
Dana’s vows are up first and she speaks of Reggie and his willingness to sacrifice himself for her in glowing terms. Reggie talks about how she’s a dream come true and everything he could ever want. Tamina and Tozawa’s vows are rather more terse.
Truth does the objections bit and Tamina objects! She wants to swap grooms! Truth asks for more objections and this time Tamina pulls Tozawa back over and she moves to marry Dana! One more ask for objections and alas, Tamina returns everyone to their original configuration.
R-Truth calls for the rings and, by the power in his vest, he commits the two couples and bids them smooch away! Reggie turns his kiss into a pin...
Reggie wins the 24/7 Championship.
Tamina attacks and overwhelms him with her skirts...
Tamina wins the 24/7 Championship.
Tozawa gets under his wife’s skirts...
Akira Tozawa wins the 24/7 Championship.
Dana Brooke leaps in...
Dana Brooke wins the 24/7 Championship.
We get a recap of the Omos/MVP/Lashley love triangle.
We see Bobby Lashley preparing for an interview and go to break.
Back from commercial we get some hype for WWE’s charitable efforts with Make-A-Wish.
Backstage, Bobby Lashley is interviewed.
Before he’s asked any questions, we get a clip of MVP cutting a promo threatening him and saying he’s teaching Omos all of his tricks, and Omos wants to challenge Bob to an arm wrestling match.
Lashley says talk is cheap and he’s going to go through Omos to get to MVP. Omos is big, strong, and scary, and so is he. They’ll find out who’s stronger in their arm wrestling match next week, and he’ll show them why he’s called the All Mighty.
Cody Rhodes makes his entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial, commentary hypes up next week’s show.
Seth Rollins makes his entrance to introduce Cody’s mystery opponent and show the world he isn’t as good as he thinks he is. He’s a man of valor, a man who never backs down from a fight, he is a former world champion and that’s no lie.
It’s Kevin Owens!
Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens
Struggling into the corner, Owens with a side headlock, shifting to a waistlock, Rhodes breaks his grip and reverses to a wristlock. Kick cuts him off, back suplex, Cody lands on his feet, drop down slap blocked with an arm wringer! Putting boots to Cody, Rhodes dumps him to the floor and dives on him only to get cut off with a forearm and a fallaway slam to send us to break!
Back from commercial, Rhodes laying right hands in to escape a hold, Owens dumps him to the apron, he skins the cat, off the ropes, forearm into a dropkick, whip reversed and KO buckles him with a senton... NOPE! Kev with a backbreaker hold, looking for a suplex, blocked, reversed into a gourdbuster!
Inverted facelock, reversed, front kick and Owens spikes him with a DDT... NOT ENOUGH! Up top, senton atomico... THE KNEES ARE UP! Action to the floor, Rhodes throws him over the announce table and Seth Rollins makes his entrance to send us to break.
Back from commercial, jockeying for position in the turnbuckles, diving splash... NOPE! Pop-up powerbomb blocked with a Frankensteiner, trading superkicks, Rhodes with a lariat and both men are down and out! Pop-up powerbomb hits on the second try but Cody won’t stay down!
Headed up top, jockeying for position again... OWENS HITS THE TOP ROPE TURN & DROP BUT RHODES GETS A FOOT ON THE ROPES! Jockeying for position on the apron, Cody with a back body drop, he seems content to take the countout but Seth Rollins walks over and yells at Owens!
Referee Chad Patton counts, KO’s had enough and he walks...
Cody Rhodes wins by countout.
Post-match, Rollins knocks Cody to the floor during his celebration.
That’s the show, folks.
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