WWE RAW
Episode 1354
#RAW
Original Air Date: May 6, 2019
Event Date: May 6, 2019
(aired live)
City: Cincinnati, OH
Venue: US Bank Arena
Commentary: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Renee Young
Ring Announcer: Mike Rome
Ring Area
Vince McMahon heads to the ring. Vince says tonight will be a RAW that no one will ever forget. As he speaks, Roman Reigns interrupts and heads to the ring.
Vince reminds Reigns that he’s a SmackDown guy now. Reigns responds by saying sure, he’s a SmackDown guy, but he has some stuff he wants to do on RAW. While Reigns was away, he watched as the McMahons lied to the fans about the fans being in control. Reigns says he doesn’t take order from the McMahons anymore, he only takes orders from the fans. Vince says it would be anarchy if he started letting superstars do whatever they want. Daniel Bryan interrupts and heads to the ring.
Vince wants to know what Daniel Bryan is doing here. Bryan says he has been searching for answers after losing to Kofi at WrestlemaniaSince Reigns decided to come to RAW, Bryan thought he would come to RAW as well so he can have a conversation with Vince. As Vince begins to respond, Kofi Kingston heads to the ring.
Kofi tells Bryan that he didn’t need to go to Vince if he has a problem, Bryan could have just gone to Kofi. Bryan tells Kofi he is an undeserving champion and his win was a fluke. Kofi says regardless, here he stands as champ. Bryan and Kofi argue, but Vince cutes them off.
Vince has an epiphany. He decides to make up a “wild card rule.” The rule he makes up is that three people from another roster can appear on any given show on any given week. Vince proclaims himself a genius.
Kofi mocks Vince. He also says he and Reigns both just decided to come to RAW on their own. For fun. Bryan didn’t come to RAW for fun. RAW is not about fun. Bryan came to get a rematch for his WWE Title. Drew McIntyre comes out to the stage.
Drew says he’s going to take care of the situation in the ring. As he walks down the ramp, McIntyre addresses Reigns. McIntyre doesn’t like Reigns’ ego, and he’s going to Claymore him back down to Earth tonight. Vince suggests two Wrestlemania rematches for tonight.
As Vince is about to leave the ring, AJ Styles heads to the ring. Kofi, Reigns, and McIntyre leave. Alone with Vince, Styles wants to know what Vince is doing. Now that Styles finally made it to RAW, Vince decides to allow SmackDown people on RAW? Now that Styles finally has a Universal Title shot, Vince brings Seth Rollins’ best friend back to RAW? Maybe Styles should go to SmackDown and bring some of his friends back. Vince tries to explain himself when Seth Rollins comes out and heads to the ring.
Rollins is angry. He tells Styles that SmackDown was fine before he got there, and it’s been fine since he left. Rollins also says RAW is Monday Night Rollins. Styles talks about Rollins disrespecting him last week. Styles also talks about how he put Rollins through a table.
Vince suggests Styles and Rollins tag tonight. No one seems very happy about that.
Match 1
AJ Styles & Seth Rollins (Universal Champ) vs Bobby Lashley & Baron Corbin
(referee: John Cone)
Result: Baron Corbin pins Seth Rollins after End of Days
Time: 11:54 (2 breaks)
Match Thoughts
This was long. It hit all the key moments you’d expect from a match like this. Rollins and Styles sort of worked together though they were really trying to outdo each other, then Lashley and Corbin began to hit some big moves, then there was confusion causing Rollins and/or Styles to hit their teammate which led to the finish. It was fine, but it was predictable. Plus, the finish made me roll my eyes.
Backstage
The Miz takes a seat outside of Shane McMahon’s office.
Ring Area
Sami Zayn heads to the ring. Sami asks the crowd what they have to complain about tonight. Sami talks about how even though people can enjoy things just like he can, this difference is that everyone else is still themselves after the enjoyment has worn off. They are still the same miserable people they always were. Sami continues, but Braun Strowman interrupts and heads to the ring.
With Strowman at ringside, Sami gets ready for a fight. As Strowman enters the ring, Sami escapes out through the crowd. Strowman chases Sami, and the two end up running to the backstage area.
Lucha House Party heads to the ring for a match, but the show cuts to the backstage area.
Backstage
Strowman is still chasing Sami. Strowman traps Sami and catches him, then he throws Sami into a dumpster. A garbage truck picks up the dumpster, and Sami is possibly killed in the back of the truck as the garbage is dumped and maybe compacted.
Match 2
Lucha House Party vs Mike Micas & Randall Floyd & Shane Mercer
(referee: Dan Engler)
Result: Lince Dorado pins Mike Micas after a shooting star press
Time: 1:08
Match Thoughts
A high flying and quick squash. Mike Micas never tagged out.
Video
Clips of Reigns versus McIntyre from Wrestlemania.
Backstage
Natalya and Naomi get formal invitations from Lacey Evans to watch her match from ringside tonight. Dana Brooke walks up. She got an invitation too. Natalya is ready for Lacey’s nonsense.
Backstage
The Miz still sits outside of Shane’s office.
Match 3
Ricochet vs Robert Roode
(referee: Chad Patton; stipulation: If Roode wins, he will take Ricochet’s place in the Money in the Bank ladder match.)
Result: Ricochet wins via pinfall after a 630 diving senton
Time: 4:22
Match Thoughts
This was good. It felt kind of short, and it wasn’t in any way surprising, but both guys are good, so yeah, it was fine.
Backstage
Rey Mysterio walks and talks with his son Dominic. Heath Slater walks by and says hi. Rey then goes into his dressing room and asks Dominic to get him some water. As we watch Dominic walk away alone, we also see Samoe Joe stalking him.
Backstage
After a commercial break, Samoa Joe tells Dominic that he’s happy they’re getting a chance to talk. Joe says Dominic clearly wanted to embarrass him when he celebrated with his father last week. Joe wants Dominic to tell Rey that he might have gotten lucky last week, but Rey will be losing at Money in the Bank.
Match 4
Lacey Evans vs Allie Katrina
(referee: Darrick Moore; at ringside: Naomi, Dana Brooke, Natalya, Alexa Bliss)
Result: Lacey Evans wins via pinfall after the Woman’s Right
Time: 0:39
Match Thoughts
Punch squash.
Ring Area
After the match, Lacey Evans explains that she wanted the women at ringside to watch how a woman competes and wins, just like she’ll win on Sunday against Becky Lynch. One of the four women at ringside might win the Money in the Bank contract, but she hopes they’re all smart enough to realize that trying to cash in on Evans would be a futile act.
Becky Lynch heads to the ring. Lynch attacks Evans, and the two women brawl out to ringside. Evans eventually escapes before Lynch can put on the Disarm Her.
Backstage
Daniel Bryan paces. After a few moments, Bryan says that Kofi Kingston’s constant shilling is a threat. Bryan must eliminate Kofi as a role model for the sake of humanity. Bryan was born to be the planet’s champion.
Backstage
The Usos sneak around backstage.
Match 5
Viking Raiders vs Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins (RAW Tag Champs)
(referee: John Cone)
Result: Ivar pins Zack Ryder after the Viking Experience
Time: 2:48
Match Thoughts
This wasn’t completely one-sided, but the winning team didn’t have a lot of trouble getting the victory. If this was an enhancement match, it would have been fine. But this was a non-title match with the tag champs. That makes me like it less.
Video
In a new episode of Firefly Fun House, Mercy the Buzzard eats Rambling Rabbit. Bray Wyatt says it’s okay to express yourself in any way you want, and you can always be forgiven. In fact, Mercy should be rewarded. It’s picnic time!
Backstage
Seth Rollins doesn’t care if Styles hit him on purpose or not. Styles made his point by walking away during the match. Next time Styles walks away from Rollins it will be with two black eyes and a broken face.
Match 6
Roman Reigns vs Drew McIntyre
(referee: Dan Engler)
Result: Roman Reigns wins via DQ when Shane McMahon attacks him
Time: 11:10 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
This was fine. It seems unnecessarily long considering how it ended though.
Ring Area
After the match, Shane and Elias attack Reigns. After a few seconds, The Miz runs down to the ring and chases Shane away through the crowd. McIntyre gets up and hits Reigns with a Claymore Kick. McIntyre and Elias seem cool with each other.
Backstage
For the second time tonight, someone is being chased backstage. Shane runs and hides as The Miz passes him by. Charly Caruso wasn’t fooled by Shane’s hiding spot though. Charly tries to get a word from Shane, but Shane makes his way to his limo.
The Miz attacks Shane with a chair, but Shane manages to get away after a few hits.
Video
Clips of the WWE Title match between Kofi Kingston and Daniel Bryan at Wrestlemania.
Ring Area
The Revival are in the ring for a match against Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows. Before the match, The Usos come out to the stage. Jimmy and Jey have a container of Ucey Hot. They wait for a moment, and Dawson and Wilder freak out. Apparently they have Ucey Hot in their trunks. It goes on, and it’s super funny. So funny.
Backstage
Kofi Kingston says he showed the world that the impossible was possible when he won the WWE Title. Tonight, Kofi will retain the title and send Daniel Bryan back to where he came from.
Ring Area
No Way Jose heads to the ring with his conga line. As he enters the ring, Lars Sullivan heads to the ring. Lars attacks the conga line. Jose attacks Lars, but that doesn’t go well for him. Lars goes back to attacking the conga line. Lars and Jose both make it into the ring where Lars hits Jose with a running sit-out powerbomb.
Video
Naomi is inducted into the Boys & Girls Club Hall of Fame.
Backstage
Vince McMahon talks to someone on the phone as he scrambles to make sense of his nonsensical wild card rule. He says Elias doesn’t count. Lars Sullivan walks in. Vince changes the wild card rule so four people can appear wherever they want instead of his previously stated three.
Match 7
WWE Title Match
Daniel Bryan vs Kofi Kingston (WWE Champ)
(referee: Chad Patton)
Result: Kofi Kingston wins via pinfall after Trouble in Paradise
Time: 10:29 (2 breaks)
Match Thoughts
Very good match. It wasn’t as good as their Wrestlemania match, but it was a good follow-up for sure. Kofi took a very hard fall to the floor midway through the match, and even though he was stunned for a while, he regained his senses and delivered an exciting final few minutes with Bryan.
Show Impressions
This show was rough. The wild card stuff really did feel like they were making up the show as it went along. The Ucey Hot stuff wasn’t funny. They had two backstage chases. There was no follow up on Samoa Joe intimidating Dominic. The tag champs seem like they’re going to enter their losing phase as all RAW Tag Champs seem to. And the opening segment(s) of the show seemed to go on and on and on. I liked the main event though.
Match of the Night
Daniel Bryan vs Kofi Kingston
Is it any surprise that the only segment I completely enjoyed tonight should have been on SmackDown instead of RAW?
Official Results: https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2019-05-06