WWE RAW Live Results and Updates- 22 April 2019
RAW will be live from Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines on 22 April 2019. WWE is calling this as the beginning of a new era after the latest Superstar Shakeup with a new set of storylines to begin. Catch the preview of the episode here. We will post the updates as the show starts. Please keep refreshing the page for the latest updates.
#1 Who will Rollins face at MITB?
Triple H is opening the show after being absent from TV since WrestleMania. And bang: Rey Mysterio vs AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe; Drew McIntyre vs The Miz vs Baron Corbin; two triple threat matches are announced with the winners facing off to become the no.1 contender for Universal Championship at MITB. Seth Rollins also makes his way to the ring after Hunter. They shake hands in the middle of the ring as the crowd starts chanting ‘Burn it Down!’ Seth says that it is all surreal to stand in his home state after all he has been through. It has been two weeks since he won the Universal title at WrestleMania. Hunter also mentioned that Rollins entered WrestleMania as the Kingslayer and walked out as the certified Beastslayer. But now the landscape is changed with Superstar Shakeup and with Rollins being the Universal Champion, he is the flag bearer of RAW. Hunter then announces Two triple threat matches and the winners of those two facing off to become the no.1 contender to face Rollins at Money in the Bank.
Samoa Joe interrupts and says he wants to hold two belts like Becky and his shoulders are wide enough for them. Mysterio comes out next and declares that he will come out to be the no.1 contender. McIntyre is next to come out, says that he did not keep beating everyone and get rid of deadweight only to be overlooked. Rollins got to Lesnar before him but he will take the title from him. Miz also comes out and declares that he does not see any match bigger than him vs Rollins at MITB. Styles is the last to come out with the biggest pop among the contenders so far. Styles shoots to Corbin first terming his voice as annoying as his face before claiming that it will be him facing Rollins at MITB. Rollins goes next that it will not matter who he is going to face at MITB since he is going to burn it down.
#2 Rey Mysterio vs AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe – Winner will advance to the no. 1 Contender’s Match for the Universal Championship
Joe goes after both the opponents to start but they team up to send him out of the ring after a few hits. Mysterio gets the first hit at Styles but he comes back with a backbreaker. AJ fends off Joe at the apron and hits another backbreaker on Mysterio. Mysterio reverses the Styles clash into a sunset flip and Joe has to break the pin. Joe hits an elbow off the rope on AJ and sends out Mysterio after few strikes. He gets a near fall after planting AJ in the middle of the ring with an Urinagi as we head to the break.
Mysterio strikes Joe a few times but comes off the rope to be body slammed by him. Styles with a flurry of offense and the Pele kick on Joe. Mysterio breaks the pin and hits the facebuster on AJ. Joe is tripped to be sent face first into the turnbuckle but he slips out of the ring to be hit by a crossbody. Mysterio and AJ were fighting it out at the top of turnbuckle when Joe catches them to hit a double reverse powerslam off the top.
Joe turns Styles inside out with a lariat and is hit by the DDT by Mysterio. A hurricanrana sends Styles out of the ring. Rey goes for the crucifix pin on Joe which is broken by Styles. Joe catches Rey in the Coquina Clutch as he goes for the 619. Styles comes into the ring and also gets caught in the Coquina Clutch. Styles avoids it and Rey sets up both opponents for the 619. He connects it on Joe but Styles catches him and hits the Styles clash on Rey over Joe’s chest. AJ then gets the pin over Joe.
Winner- AJ Styles with a pinfall to advance to tonight’s main event no.1 Contender’s Match
#3 Naomi vs Billie Kay
The IIconics cuts a short annoying promo asking Naomi who has got her back since her partner from the last week Bayley, has gone on to SmackDown and has said ‘No to the Glow.’
Key hits a kick to the body before using Naomi’s hair to slam her to the mat for a quick two count. Naomi comes back with some quick offense. She kicks Royce off the apron before rolling up Billie in a sunset flip. She hits a springboard splash to get the pin and the win.
Winner- Naomi with a pinfall
We again get the the Cackling Doll promo(speculated for Bray Wyatt).
#4 Drew McIntyre vs The Miz vs Baron Corbin
Miz tries to roll up both opponents at the start. He escapes from them to go out of the ring. As Corbin and McIntyre’s chase hit outside, Miz comes back to the ring and hits a sliding dropkick on McIntyre. McIntyre and Corbin are working together on Miz until Corbin punched McIntyre in the mouth. Miz sends Corbin into the barricade before McIntyre takes him out from behind. Drew suplexes Miz for a two count. All three get two counts on each other. Miz takes down both men with a springboard ax handle. He unloads on both men with the It Kicks. Drew nails him with the Glasgow Kiss to stop his rampage. McIntyre was about to hit the White Noise from the top rope, but both Superstars were brought down with a Powerbomb by Baron Corbin.
Drew and Corbin were trading blows outside the ring until Miz takes them out with a suicide dive. He sends Corbin to the timekeeper’s area and takes McIntyre back to the ring. McIntyre hits a back elbow on the corner and hits Miz with an Alabama Slam for a near fall. Miz avoids the Claymore kick and locks McIntyre into the figure four leg lock. McIntyre breaks it up by putting a thumb to the eye of Miz. The Miz sends him to the outside when Corbin comes in and hits Miz with a Deep Six. McIntyre was looking for a Future Shock DDT, but the Miz hit him with a DDT for the near fall. The Miz reverses the End of Days to hit Corbin with a DDT for another near fall. Miz sends Corbin out of the ring with a clothesline but Corbin lands on his feet and McIntyre hits the Claymore Kick on Miz. Corbin comes back into the ring and throws McIntyre out to get the pin over the Miz.
Winner- Baron Corbin with a pinfall to advance to tonight’s main event no.1 Contender’s Match
It will be AJ Styles vs Baron Corbin for the no. 1 Contender’s Match for the Universal Championship in the main event tonight. Drew McIntyre is ruing the missed opportunity at the ringside. Styles cut a promo in the backstage interview where he boasts of his achievements in SmackDown and says he is ready for anyone. I am getting a feeling that he is slowly turning heel.
#5 Why is Sami Zayn Bitter?
Sami Zayn is out and has started dissing the crowd again. He tells us that there is a false narrative build around him that he has become a bitter person but instead he is very juvenile. He then throws some pictures on the screen in different parts of the world to prove it. But as he returns to WWE, he starts to get the feeling of depression and doom. He first thought it is due to WWE’s corporate structure or egomaniac WWE superstars but actually, the problem is WWE Universe and fans. He says that the WWE Universe mob mentality would not keep the fans safe from Sami Zayn and he will hold everyone responsible before telling everyone to go to hell.
As he was moving out of the ring Cedric Alexander makes his way to the ring. He will face Cesaro who is moved to RAW as part of Superstar Shakeup, we are told.
#6 Cedric Alexander vs Cesaro
Cesaro throws Alexander to start and then puts him in the arm twist. Alexander reverses it to the chin lock. Not for long though as Cesaro starts dominating him with some punches and chops in the corner. Alexander hits an arm drag and sends Cesaro outside the ring. As he was going for the suicide dive, Cesaro meets him in the ring and puts him in the headlock. Cesaro hits some blows before another headlock. As Alexander comes out of it, Alexander tries a crossbody, but Cesaro catches him and hits him with a vicious Backbreaker to put him again in the headlock. Alexander again comes out of the lock only to run into a big boot and then gets hit by a Gutwrench Throwaway Slam. Alexander hits a couple of basement dropkicks to trip Cesaro. Cesaro tries to hit the flatliner and then a vertical suplex but Alexander manages to hit Michinoku driver to get a near fall. Cedric sends him out of the ring with a kick before hitting a dive over the top rope. Alexander goes for a springboard move but Cesaro hits a huge uppercut to get the pin.
Winner- Cesaro with a pinfall
#7 The Viking Raiders!
From the War Raiders to the Viking Experience, Erick and Ivar are now called the Viking Raiders. They will face the Lucha House Party next. As Luchas enter the ring, they attack before the bell rings. They destroy each and every member of LHP, each with a unique move. The match never starts. Also, I don’t think the commentary team knows that their name is now changed. They still keep calling them the Viking Experience.
Charlie Caruso is with the RAW Tag Team Champions Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins to get the reaction over the dominance that the Viking Raiders has shown and if they are worried about their championship titles. They dismiss it by saying that they are experienced and have been doing this for more than 10 years while the Vikings are only here for two weeks.
# 8 The Southern Belle is here to teach a lesson to the Man!
Becky Lynch says Lacey Evans is in the back trying to further her career. She also pointed out that Lacey might only be another version of Charlotte. Lacey Evans interrupts Becky as tells her that she is here to teach her some lessons and at MITB, she will take off those belts off her. Becky replies that she simply wants to slap her head off her shoulders. They go on for some time until Alicia Fox comes out for her match against Becky.
#9 Becky Lynch vs Alicia Fox
Lock up and Becky puts Alicia in a headlock. Fox knocks Becky down with a shoulder, but Becky bridges back up to her feet. She blocks a dropkick and hits a kick to the ribs to knock Foxy out of the ring. The Man keeps the upper hand by driving Fox outside the ring but Fox drives her into the barricade.
Fox is keeping control and puts Becky in a chin lock. Becky fights out and Fox botches a move. Fox sends Becky out of the ring. As Fox comes out, Becky decks her. She comes back to the ring and hits a couple of Bexploders before locking in the Dis-Arm-Her for Fox to submit.
Winner- Becky Lynch with a submission
Lacey Evans comes into the ring and hits the Woman’s Right on Becky. Becky is stunned by it. As she gets up, Lacey hits another huge Woman’s Right to flatten her.
#10 Robert Roode vs Ricochet
Ricochet comes out for the match and we get to know that he will face Robert Roode(Bobby Roode in a mustache and purple trunks). In a backstage interview, Roode explained that since he has dropped 150 pounds deadweight named Gable, he is ready to climb higher.
Roode starts with some strikes in the corner and puts Ricochet in a headlock after some high flying action. Ricochet hits a series of quick strikes to make him back off. Roode suckers him in and sends him out to the apron. Ricochet hits a shoulder block in the gut and sends Roode outside with a back body drop from the apron. Roode moves out when Ricochet goes for the suicide dive, so, he instead hits a springboard moonsault splash.
Roode with a chin lock and Ricochet fights out with elbow strikes in the gut. Roode hits a knee to the gut and then a vertical suplex to keep control. Ricochet fights out of the shoulder stretch and hits a dropkick. Punch, punch, forearm, forearm and an overhead kick followed by a springboard splash and standing shooting star press from Ricochet to get a near fall. Roode finally hits a spinebuster to get back. Ricochet with a GTS but nobody is home when he goes for the 630 splash. Roode drives him to the ring post and hits the Glorious DDT as Ricochet suffered first singles defeat in the main roster.
Winner- Robert Roode with a pinfall
Bray Wyatt finally appears in a video promo. He is children’s talk show host – The FireFly Funhouse. He introduces us to his friends, Mercy the Buzzard and Pemmy the Witch(whose promos that we saw in the last two weeks). He is saying that he has left that loser behind and to signify it, he cuts down the cardboard of his old look with a chain saw. He is wearing gloves which have hurt and heal written over them. He is just as maniacal as earlier.
# 10 AJ Styles vs Baron Corbin – No. 1 Contender’s Match for the Universal Championship
AJ starts hits a punch and then some chops to start. Corbin hits a huge punch on him but AJ fires back with a dropkick and several forearms. As AJ goes for the springboard move, Corbin hits another huge punch to start a period of domination. AJ clotheslines Corbin out of the ring, but Corbin trips him at the apron. Corbin is then sent to the timekeeper’s area before he sends Styles into the barricade.
Corbin is keeping Styles in a headlock. As AJ tries to fight back, Corbin slams him to the mat. Corbin takes Styles to the top turnbuckle where he fights back. AJ strikes some punches and then a flurry of offense. Corbin catches Styles and goes for the chokeslam backbreaker which AJ tries to convert into the Styles clash but fails due to Corbin’s height. Corbin eats a Pele kick but comes back to hit the deep six to get a near fall. After he gets hit with a clothesline in the corner, Styles locks in the calf crusher. Corbin drives Styles’ head into the mat to break the move. Corbin misses for the double ax handle from the top but AJ moves away and hits the Phenomenal Forearm to get the win.
Winner- AJ Styles with a pinfall
AJ is celebrating in the ring when Rollins comes out after the match and they shake hands after a staredown.