Monday Night Raw – May 11, 2020: Season Premiere
IMG Credit: WWE
Monday Night Raw
Date: May 11, 2020
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Samoa Joe, Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton
It’s time to start picking things up a lot again around here as Becky Lynch is going to make some kind of major announcement. That sounds like she might be dropping the title, and really that might be the only option as it’s hard to imagine almost anyone beating her. Other than that, it’s hard to say what we’ve got coming up on the way to Backlash next month. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
We open with a long recap of the Money in the Bank ladder matches with Asuka and Otis winning the briefcases.
Opening sequence.
Here’s an emotional Becky Lynch without the title but with the Money in the Bank briefcase. She’s upset about something and needs to go away for awhile. That’s why she made asked the powers that be around here to raise the stakes last night. Cue Asuka to scream about the briefcase, but Becky opens it up to reveal the title, which now belongs to Asuka because the ladder match was for the title, not an opportunity at the title. Asuka freaks out and celebrates around the arena. Becky: “You go be a warrior, because I’m gonna go be a mother.” Asuka stops and hugs Becky before chanting her name in a great moment.
Post break a bunch of wrestlers come in to congratulate Lynch on the news.
Bobby Lashley vs. Humberto Carrillo
No DQ and it’s not a good sign that I heard Carrillo’s music and said out loud “do we have to?”. Lashley throws him around to start but gets knocked outside, setting up a suicide dive. That’s knocked away so Lashley grabs a chair, which is dropkicked into his face as we take a break. Back with Carrillo missing a baseball slide but avoiding a big boot and kicking Lashley in the head. A dive off the barricade is pulled out of the air and Carrillo gets posted hard. Carrillo gets the chair though and unloads, only to get caught in a full nelson to make Carrillo tap at 8:40.
Rating: D+. I know they’re trying with Carrillo and want him to be a thing but egads it’s not working. There’s just not much there and it’s showing more and more every single time. He’s fine enough in the ring but the lack of charisma or reason to care is destroying him. Lashley isn’t going to get much further with a full nelson, but the power stuff is better than the Lana nonsense.
The Street Profits are ready to meet the Viking Raiders….in a game of basketball.
The Raiders don’t know why they’re doing this and think karaoke might work. Oh and worry about fouls.
Asuka and Kairi Sane celebrate the title.
Video on Edge vs. Randy Orton at Wrestlemania.
We look back at Apollo Crews getting injured against Angel Garza.
Zelina Vega and company are arguing in the back.
Angel Garza vs. Akira Tozawa
Joined in progress with Garza sending him into the corner and TAKING OFF HIS PANTS. A loud chop in the corner connects as Vega is arguing with Andrade and Austin Theory at ringside. Tozawa snaps off a hurricanrana but gets caught with a pop up kick to the chest. A penalty kick gives Garza two and he loads up the Wing Clipper, yells at Theory, and plants Tozawa for the pin at 2:45. Tozawa’s back and forth booking between Raw and anything related to the Cruiserweight Title tournament continues to astound me.
Post match the team keeps arguing but here’s Drew McIntyre to interrupt. McIntyre is ready to fight and Claymores Theory. Garza and Andrade laugh so it’s a Claymore to Garza, followed by a staredown with Andrade.
Drew McIntyre vs. Andrade
Non-title. McIntyre works on an armbar to start and shouts at Vega a bit. Back up and McIntyre hits a kick to the ribs out of the corner to send Andrade outside. Andrade charges into a tilt-a-whirl slam onto the apron as this is one sided so far. Andrade dives under the ring and reaches through the ropes that hold it together to pull McIntyre into the apron.
A baseball slide hits McIntyre in the ribs before Andrade starts in on the arm. Double knees to said arm get two but McIntyre is back with a sitout powerbomb for the same. McIntyre gets sent into the corner for the running knees but the hammerlock DDT is countered into a Glasgow Kiss. The reverse Alabama Slam sets up the Claymore for the pin at 8:34.
Rating: C+. They’re moving with the stories tonight as Vega’s team seems to be on the ropes after only being around for a few weeks. Andrade losing again doesn’t make him look good, but it’s not like his title reign has meant anything in four and a half months anyway. Granted he’s losing to the World Champion so it’s not like it’s some upset. Still though, either protect him or get rid of the title.
Post match Drew says he didn’t come out here for a match but anything can happen on Monday Night Raw. He’s always up for a Claymore party, but he’s here to talk about something else. Last night he was in a heck of a fight with Seth Rollins. He still has the title though and now he has some more exciting news. There is something called the Brand To Brand Invitation, meaning that a wrestler from Smackdown has challenged Drew to a match and it has been accepted. That’s why next week, live on Raw, it’s Drew vs. King Corbin.
MVP asks Lashley when he last had a WWE Title shot. That would be 2007, when MVP was just getting started. Now MVP is back and Lashley is in the same place. When is the real Lashley coming out? MVP walks off and runs into Lana, who he says should let Lashley free. Lana screams. A lot.
It’s time for A Moment Of Bliss with Bliss saying the Man is having a baby. Nikki: “The Man becomes the mom!” Nikki wishes all of the mothers a happy belated Mother’s Day but here are the returning IIconics to interrupt, with Nikki imitating their pose. Peyton doesn’t like being disrespected and the title challenge is on. Nikki says the titles are like their babies so Billie says we can make it non-title. They are the future because they are ICONIC.
IIconics vs. Alexa Bliss/Nikki Cross
Nikki kicks Peyton to the floor to start and ties her in the ring skirt for the beating. Back in and the IIconics get Cross into the corner for the double teaming. Some rollups give Nikki two but Peyton kicks her down for two. Billie grabs the chinlock and hands it back to Peyton, who gets slammed in a hurry so Nikki can tag Bliss. House is cleaned in a hurry and it’s Insult To Injury for two on Billie. Everything breaks down and a shot to the throat staggers Bliss. Nikki is sent outside and something like a reverse Magic Killer finishes Bliss at 4:28.
Rating: D+. The IIconics aren’t much in the ring and it’s another bad sign for the titles as another team pops up and is now the other half of the division. These might be the least necessary titles in recent memory and it doesn’t make it any better when teams just come and go for months at a time but are suddenly in the title match.
Rey Mysterio, who was thrown off the roof last night, reveals that he landed on a lower roof six feet below so he and Aleister Black are teaming tonight. Seth Rollins, one of Rey’s opponents tonight, comes in to glare at Rey, who congratulates him on becoming a father. Rollins walks away from a handshake.
R-Truth/Ricochet/Cedric Alexander vs. MVP/Brendan Vink/Shane Thorne
Truth dances into the splits to start and makes Thorne sit down in pain. It’s off to Ricochet as Truth becomes Pretty Ricky (crossed eyes, big teeth) on the apron. Vink comes in to elbow Alexander in the face and the pace slows a bit. The chinlock goes on for a bit, followed by Thorne coming inf or a kick to the back.
Thorne grabs the neck crank and hands it back to Vink, who is kicked in the head. The hot tag brings in Truth (yes Truth, not Ricky) so house can be cleaned on MVP. Everything breaks down and Ricochet moonsaults onto everyone but MVP and Truth. Ricky comes back so MVP knocks out his big teeth, only to get caught in the Lie Detector (and a horrible one at that) for the pin at 4:31.
Rating: D+. Well that was dumb. The Pretty Ricky thing is rather stupid and I have a feeling the big teeth are going to get some people complaining. It wasn’t a good match, but at least MVP took the fall instead of one of the younger people. I still can’t get my head around Vink pinning Ricochet, but they seem to have moved on from that for now at least.
Post match here’s Lashley to spear Truth down and put him in the full nelson. Lashley leaves with MVP.
Jinder Mahal says he’s back.
AJ Styles grabs some popcorn to watch a look at the first episode of the Last Ride.
We look back at Becky’s announcement.
Shayna Baszler can’t believe Becky threw away her career to grow a parasite. Shayna: “Do we know who the father is?”
We look at the first part of the Last Ride.
Becky and Vince McMahon have a moment we can’t hear.
Aleister Black/Rey Mysterio vs. Seth Rollins/Murphy
Yes, a day after what looked like death. Rollins on the other hand seems to be in a trance with his hair all over the place. Black grabs an Octopus on Murphy, followed by a hard armdrag into an armbar. Murphy tries to fight back but Black moonsaults into his sitting position to stare him down. An elbow to the face rocks Black as Rollins still hasn’t moved an inch.
Black knees Murphy out to the floor, with Rollins registering nothing. Another big knockdown sends us to a break. Back with Murphy diving into a knee to the face to put them both down. Rey comes in with the seated senton and the springboard spinning crossbody. Murphy’s Law is countered into the sitout bulldog for two but Murphy sends him into the corner. That means Rey knocks Rollins off the apron so Rollins breaks up the 619…and that’s a DQ at 11:00.
Rating: C. This was an angle instead of a match and that’s ok. Mysterio vs. Rollins could be interesting as Rollins’ Monday Night Messiah deal (assuming it’s still around) wasn’t quite working as a main event story. I’m curious where they’re going with this, but it’s an interesting way to start.
Post match Rollins destroys Mysterio and hits him in the eye. Black gets sent over the barricade and Rollins orders Murphy to step back. Rollins sends Rey face first into the steps and the eye is busted open.
The Viking Raiders practiced basketball to less than successful results. So they know what Carpool Karaoke is but not basketball? WHO WRITES THIS STUFF???
And now, the basketball game between the Raiders and the Profits. Ivar doesn’t know what it means to check and the Profits score without much trouble. The Profits are up big and say they want the smoke. Erik: “Actually, smoking isn’t good for you.” Ivar rolls the ball to Erik, whose shot is blocked without much trouble.
Dawkins knew white men couldn’t jump but they weren’t sure about vikings. It’s 49-0 late in the third quarter and Ford hits a three from half court. Erik picks Ivar up and calls a foul on himself. The Vikings score late and claim a victory, despite the score being 74-2 with the Vikings having committed 19 fouls.
AND THAT’S IT! That’s the whole segment. The Tag Team Champions and the team that beat them last week just played a game of basketball where the Profits destroyed them because the Vikings, at least one of whom can drive and knows how to write a song about worshiping Thor, don’t know how basketball works. I’d pay to see the production meeting where this was written, but it might give me hives.
Natalya doesn’t like Shayna disrespecting motherhood but Shayna says Natalya will never have a kid. The Hart Dynasty dies with her.
Back on the basketball court, it turns out that the Raiders were faking and are quite good at basketball, including Ivar being able to dunk. So wait….you know, actually I’m good. I don’t want to know anything more about this.
And before someone misses the point and explains the idea of “anything you can do I can do better”, I get it. This was just really stupid, as the champs shrugged off the loss from last week, after apparently being eaten up by not being able to beat the Raiders, and played basketball with them.
Shayna Baszler vs. Natalya
Natalya takes her down to start but Shayna drives her into the corner and dances a bit. That earns her some applause from Natalya, who tries to roll her into the Sharpshooter. That’s broken up so Baszler misses the stomp on the arm, only to knee Natalya in the head for the pin at 3:57.
Rating: D+. Baszler was a great jerk earlier but there is only so much that can be done in a short match against Natalya. It was a lot better than having Natalya try to be emotional though as she just isn’t that good at doing so. The knee to the face for the pin looked good though and Baszler could be a great challenger for a face Asuka.
Post match Natalya freaks out over the loss. Yeah still not interesting.
King Corbin doesn’t feel bad about throwing Black and Mysterio off the roof because they’re fine. He’s able to take Drew on next week because Corbin made him the champion. Next week, Corbin is taking him out.
Next week: the IIconics get a Women’s Tag Team Title shot.
Here’s Edge for the big closing segment. He knows his career didn’t end at Wrestlemania but why is he confronting Randy Orton? Edge got his pound of flesh at Wrestlemania….and here’s Orton. Randy says congratulations because the better man won. Orton goes to leave but turns around and comes back because he can’t be the bigger man. The better man won at Wrestlemania but the better wrestler didn’t.
Edge hid behind other wrestlers at the Royal Rumble and then incapacitated Orton at Wrestlemania. He might not have gotten up at ten but it didn’t take him nine years to make it back. Orton talks about how Edge hasn’t had a regular match since 2011 and his grit and passion won’t help him there. If Edge has the guts, they’ll have a straight up wrestling match at Backlash. Edge doesn’t say anything but Charly Caruso says if it happens, it might be the greatest wrestling match ever. Try to get your head around that one to end the show.
Overall Rating: C. This show was all over the place with one story after another. What matters though is they felt like they were trying again. The energy was back and while a lot of it was in the wrong direction (Basketball? MORE CORBIN???), it was a big difference than the dead shows that we’ve been seeing as of late. Last week had better matches and was a better show on its own, but this one had some stuff that made me want to watch again. You can tell Money in the Bank season is over because there was a point to stuff here. Maybe not good points, but points nonetheless.
Results
Bobby Lashley b. Humberto Carrillo – Full nelson
Angel Garza b. Akira Tozawa – Wing Clipper
Drew McIntyre b. Andrade – Claymore
IIconics b. Alexa Bliss/Nikki Cross – Spinning faceplant to Bliss
R-Truth/Ricochet/Cedric Alexander b. Brendan Vink/Shane Thorne/MVP – Lie Detector to MVP
Aleister Black/Rey Mysterio b. Seth Rollins/Murphy via DQ when Rollins attacked Mysterio in the ropes
Shayna Baszler b. Natalya – Knee to the face
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:
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NOW BARON CORBIN IS ALSO ON RAW?
He’s everywhere you don’t want to be.
I don’t get why Edge and Randy Orton had a last man standing match as the build up to a… normal wrestling match.
Good for Becky and that opening segment was the highlight of the show by a mile.
It makes sense from Orton’s perspective. He knows Edge is banged up and hasn’t had a regular match so he can beat him there. From an overall perspective, including Edge’s perspective, it doesn’t make a ton of sense.
But did you know Edge has GRIT?
His t-shirt even says so.
Should I just ignore that AJ was breaking kayfabe in the shown part of the documentary about Taker RIGHT before we saw him get angry & throw popcorn at the TV??
The opening segment wasn’t that great. Especially since they kept replaying it (including right after it happened) and it is kind of insulting. We are supposed to believe that Asuka didn’t know there was a heavy belt in the case as opposed to a paper contract? And she would just let Becky borrow the case for an interview? And that she is now close to Becky offering hugs for the good news? This along with that God awful basketball game and the unfunny drew McIntire are reasons why ratings are at an all time low. With people being stuck at home with nothing else to do but watch tv and no competition from other sports, their ratings should be up. But no. They are even lower than the Prime Time Wrestling days. I have been a fan since August 29, 1988 and haven’t missed a show or ppv since then and this is the worst that the product has been. And I suffered through The New Generation years and 1999 WCW. Just terrible.
I am not saying this was the worst Raw ever , but the product overall is at its rock bottom.
I’d still say 1999 WCW was worse. This is horrible, bland crap. WCW was unwatchable. Especially once Russo started running wild.
The case thing could be explained as they didn’t put the title in until they took the case. Perhaps Vince ordered her to give up the briefcase for the interview. This was really the wrong thing to get caught up on in this episode that featured basketball.
Yeah there was alot going on and definitely made for a good RAW coming off MITB. I will say though why the line by Charley had to be thrown about Edge & Randy Orton at Backlash was a big Huh moment.
I ask this again because can we stop saying Asuka has been buried? I believe at least the 2nd or i guess 3rd Woman to be a Grand Slam Womens Champion with all 3 Brands Titles. Great moment between her & Becky at the start, i will miss having Becky around for awhile but a huge congrats to her.
Actually including royal rumble win in 2018. She has done everything from nxt to main roster but hey everyone loves the shovel I guess
If you chop off the last 30-40 minutes, it’s the best RAW in months. The opening segment was very well done and the next 2 or so hours felt very energetic. It almost had a post-WM RAW feel, or as much as it could in an empty building. Then the last three segments happened. For the love of anything, just let Profits/Raiders have good matches, send Natalya to the PC to be a trainer and never talk again, and last, but certainly not least, enough with relying on part-timers. Edge/Orton had a LONG last man standing match and that now has taken us to the next logical step, a regular wrestling match. The feud should be over. Move them onto something else. Let Edge feud with Styles or Rollins. Charly Caruso’s closing line might be the most cringeworthy line ever uttered on RAW. B- if the show ends at 10:30, but a C/C- for the whole three hours.