Raw After WrestleMania Doesn’t Disappoint
Monday Night Raw is always an exciting night after WrestleMania. One of the most anticipating parts of the night is seeing who gets called up from NXT, and those who make their return from injuries or newly signed talent.
Last night we saw seven men and women receive a call-up from NXT or they made their return to the company or came back from injury. Here are the seven who shocked us with their call-up or return.
NXT Call-Ups
Ember Moon
Ember Moon lost her NXT Women’s Championship Saturday night at NXT Take Over. On Raw, Alexa Bliss cut a promo on Jax’s weight, calling the new champion the real bully and saying she lost only out of compassion for James being injured. Jax cut bliss off, telling her to shut it before introducing Moon.This set up a tag team match between Bliss & James vs Jax & Moon. The quick match featured Moon and saw the newcomer hit her Eclipse on the former women’s champ Bliss for the clean win. Solid pop and top-notch performance by Moon in her debut. Strong move by WWE letting her pin Bliss.
No Way Jose
It’s the #RAWAfterMania, and we’re havin’ a PARTY!#RAW @WWENoWayJose pic.twitter.com/nCPV5EI5G9
— WWE (@WWE) April 10, 2018
In his debut, Jose hit the ring with an entourage conga line reminiscent of Adam Rose and squashed the jobber in under a minute. No Way Jose has been part of NXT since 2015.
Authors Of Pain
The #AuthorsOfPain @Akam_WWE & @Rezar_WWE appear ready to forge their own path of DOMINANCE on Monday Night #RAW! #AOP pic.twitter.com/LXXXGX6B1k
— WWE (@WWE) April 10, 2018
The Authors Of Pain are one of the most decorated tag teams to come out of NXT.
After former SmackDown tag team champions, Heath Slater and Rhyno cut a promo, Akam, and Rezar, with their manager Paul Ellering marched down to the ring to answer their challenge. The match was a squash match that saw The A.O.P pick up the quick win. After the match, while walking up the ramp Akam and Rezer stopped their manager Paul Ellering leaving him behind!
Returns
Bray Wyatt
Technically, Wyatt returned at WrestleMania 34. However, on the Raw after WrestleMania “Woken” Matt Hardy appeared in a promo with his newly won Andre The Giant Battle Royal Trophy when rising from above was Bray Wyatt!
Later that night, the two would team together to take on Titus O’Neil and Apollo. Hardy and Wyatt would go on to win the match and move on in the Tag Team Eliminator. So are these two now a tag team? Did Hardy rid Wyatt of Sister Abigail? What will Jeff Hardy think of all this?
Jeff Hardy
Speaking of Jeff Hardy, he too made his return after recovering from having shoulder surgery. Jeff appeared in a segment with Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, and The Miztourage.
Later in the night, a WWE camera spots Rollins, Balor, and Hardy walking toward the ring. When Hardy stops and sees none other than Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt! It was an interesting segment and for the record, Rollins, Balor, and Jeff Hardy beat The Miztourage.
Samoa Joe
During a segment on last nights Raw, Roman Reigns (who looked like he went through hell in his match with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 34), was cutting a promo about having to face Brock Lesnar again in Steel Cage Match for The Universal Title in Saudi Arabia. Well, this did not sit well with Samoa Joe.
The crowd went nuts with “Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe”, chants. He cut a promo on Reigns and ultimately a match was made at WWE Backlash Joe vs Reigns.
Bobby Lashley
Rumors circulated for months now that Bobby Lashley signed with WWE.It was all a matter of time before we’d see him on WWE programming as Impact Wrestling is pre-taped and we had to wait until he would no longer be seen on Impact Wrestling before WWE brought him back.
On Raw, Elias was performing for the crowd as he always does. Out of nowhere music (not played by Elias hits), the titantron read Bobby Lashley! The crowd erupted as Lashley gets in the ring. Lashley seems to have taken a page out of The British Bulldogs’ book because the stalling standing suplex seemed like Lashley was never going to drop Elias!
What does this mean for Lashley’s MMA career? Currently, Brock Lesnar signed a new contract with WWE after last week Dana White announced Lesnar would be heading back to the UFC. Will McMahon allow Lashley to continue to fight in Bellator while under WWE contract like he let Lesnar fight in the UFC while under contract with the WWE? Only time will tell.
