THEN.
NOW.
FOREVER.
April 4, 2022
American Airlines Center @ Dallas, TX
The opening segment shows Mr. McMahon already inside the ring with the WWE talent on the stage, from Raw and SmackDown. Mr. McMahon mentions he's been apart of WWE since 1980, for 42 years. Across those four decades, he's seen it all, but the business continues to evolve. Mr. McMahon says last night was a moment the business evolved when Roman Reigns defeated Brock Lesnar in the "biggest WrestleMania match ever" and became the undisputed WWE Champion. Mr. McMahon says with one champion leading the charge, Raw and SmackDown will be must-see. He wants fresh and says beginning tonight, the brand extension is over.
Mr. McMahon says that poses a lot of questions, but he's interrupted by the Tribal Chief who grabs a microphone. Roman Reigns gets in the ring, ill advised of Paul Heyman, and says he is the leader now. Reigns toots his own horn and says he is the Head of the Table and he'll provide for Raw and SmackDown. Mr. McMahon tells Reigns to shut up and to never interrupt him again. McMahon puts Reigns on a pedestal, thinking he's a big shot, but with this new era comes new challenges. Not just SmackDown can challenge for his title, but Raw can as well. As a matter of fact, he's issuing a 25-man battle royal right now to declare a #1 contender. The winner gets their title opportunity TONIGHT! Reigns is pissed, considering he took a trip and survived Suplex City last night, but McMahon won't hear any of it.
30-MAN OVER THE TOP ROPE BATTLE ROYAL
Winner receives a WWE Championship match tonight
The competitors: AJ Styles, Apollo Crews, Austin Theory, Chad Gable, Commander Azeez, Damian Priest, Dolph Ziggler, Finn Balor, Omos, Otis, Reggie, Rey Mysterio, Robert Roode, Seth Rollins, Shelton Benjamin, The Miz, Butch, Drew Gulak, Drew McIntyre, Happy Corbin, Jinder Mahal, King Woods, Kofi Kingston, Mace, Madcap Moss, Mansoor, Ridge Holland, Sami Zayn, Sheamus, Shinsuke Nakamura
The match began with everyone assaulting Omos, but the big man fighting out of it. We saw a few sacrificed early on, the likes of Robert Roode, Butch, Gulak, Mace, and Mansoor. Omos was eventually clotheslined over by Drew McIntyre later in the contest. We saw alliances play a big role in the match. Sheamus and Holland worked together, along with Corbin and Moss, the Alpha Academy, and The New Day. United States Champion Finn Balor was notably tossed by Happy Corbin, thanks to the distraction of the already-eliminated Madcap Moss.
The final four AJ Styles, Rey Mysterio, Seth Rollins, and King Woods, after Woods eliminates Damian Priest from the mix by pulling down the bottom rope at a big boot attempt and shuffling him to the floor. After an initial staredown, Styles goes for Mysterio and Rollins goes for King Woods. A few back and forth, Mysterio executes a headscissors elimination on Styles. Rollins tries tossing Mysterio, but the 619 Master holds on. As Rollins puts his attention on Woods, Mysterio comes and attacks Rollins as they battle. Mysterio trips Rollins into a 619 and hits it! Mysterio tries a springboard jump on Rollins, but he's caught into a Buckle Bomb! Mysterio comes back and as Rollins goes to turn into the ropes for momentum to hit the Curb Stomp, Woods is right there to use that momentum and toss Rollins outside the ring! Woods celebrates for a split second but gets dropkicked from behind and goes through the middle rope. The official calls that Woods is still good, but he's hit with a Curb Stomp by Rollins. Rollins throws Woods in as Mysterio didn't see it. Mysterio picks Woods up and tries lifting the deadweight over the top rope but can't. Mysterio just leans him on the rope for a 619, but as Mysterio comes back, Woods pops up and throws Mysterio over to the floor... WOODS WINS!
All hail King Woods as Kofi Kingston comes to celebrate for his friend's big victory, because he's in the main event tonight for the WWE Championship. Roman Reigns is in his personal locker room with Paul Heyman and looks amused at the result of the battle royal.
Sarah Schreiber dares to knock on Mr. McMahon's door, but comes out in a joyful mood. Schreiber asks what viewers can expect tonight on Raw, and Mr. McMahon says WWE is in a new era and thus new matchups will commence:
Intercontinental Champion Ricochet versus former champion Apollo Crews
United States Champion Finn Balor against Madcap Moss
Nikki ASH versus Sasha Banks, and...
Los Lotharios challenge Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro for the titles
King Woods and Kofi Kingston are backstage and The Usos approach. The SmackDown Tag Team Champions say they go way back, and they've had their share of battles, but they've overstepped their bounds. Roman Reigns is in GOD Mode and King Woods will always be the third-best member of The New Day. Kingston responds and asks if Jimmy and Jey are below Paul Heyman on the totem pole, but assures King Woods will usher in the "new era" and win the Undisputed WWE Championship tonight!
RAW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPSRK-Bro(c) vs. Los LothariosA match straight from Mr. McMahon's office, kicking off with a title match featuring stars formerly exclusive to separate brands. Despite the rosters conjoining, Jimmy Smith points out that the Raw Tag Team Championships are exclusive to being defended on Raw. Riddle and Orton work together, almost magically, and put Humberto on his back with the Bro-Derek.
After the match, RK-Bro celebrate before Randy Orton is attacked from behind. It's Nash Carter and Wes Lee, MSK from NXT! Riddle watches in astonishment, seeing Carter and Lee beat down Orton. Riddle then goes up and greets his bros, the men he was a "Shaman" to in NXT, before Carter and Lee give each other a look before attacking Riddle. MSK beat down Riddle too and finish him off with a Spinebuster/Neckbreaker combo. After the assault on the Raw Tag Team Champions, MSK look to the ramp and see Gregory Helms at the stage appearing pleased with the result. Was Gregory Helms behind this attack? MSK is on Raw!
Kevin Patrick asks Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville for their thoughts about the brand extension being over and the rosters merging into one. Deville reminds Patrick they've ran both Raw and SmackDown effectively together as a team and merging the rosters just gives them more opportunity for fresh matchups. Pearce echoes such and says it's no big deal, and this Friday, he's making a match. AJ Styles returns to the place "that AJ Styles built" to wrestle Sheamus. Deville adds her own, saying Rey Mysterio returns to the blue brand and wrestles Sami Zayn.
NON-TITLE MATCHApollo Crews (w/Commander Azeez) vs. RicochetCorey Graves acknowledges on commentary the history between Ricochet and Apollo Crews prior to getting to WWE's main roster. The two have great chemistry and Ricochet appears to have the match won. Ricochet scales up for the 630 Splash but Commander Azeez gets on the apron. Distracted, Ricochet hits a missile dropkick to take Azeez off the apron, but Ricochet hits his back hard on the fall. Ricochet slowly rolls back in the ring and this gives Apollo enough time to recover and hit The Chariot. 1, 2, 3!
Apollo Crews celebrates a victory over the Intercontinental Champion, in spite of how it was achieved and Crews makes a point to steal the title from the timekeeper's area and hold up the Intercontinental Championship for the WWE Universe to see leading into commercial.
The Raw Women's Champion comes to the ring and Bianca Belair celebrates winning the championship on WrestleMania Saturday. Belair recalls last year's WrestleMania when she realized a childhood dream in Tampa and won the title, but it was a fall from grace when Becky Lynch showed up at SummerSlam and took it away in 18 seconds. For the last eight months, 18 seconds has played in her mind over and over and over. But now, she's redeemed herself and redeemed the Raw Women's Championship. Queen Zelina interrupts the celebration and assumes Bianca feels on top of the world, but at the end of the day, she is the Queen of WWE. She sits on the throne and even the Raw and SmackDown Women's Champions are beneath her. Bianca challenges Queen Zelina to a match here and now, but she respectfully declines.
Sarah Schreiber tries to get a word with Gregory Helms while he leads Nash Carter and Wes Lee down the hall. Helms says they are not making any comments at this time but will be back next Monday on Raw, because MSK are officially WWE superstars.
Nikki A.S.H. vs. Sasha BanksAnother match put together by Mr. McMahon featuring a formerly exclusive Raw superstar versus a formerly exclusive SmackDown superstar, Nikki and Sasha are fighting in the first women's match of the evening. Nikki's aerial attacks miss every single time and Sasha Banks traps Nikki ASH in several holds and uses her technician skills, but once Sasha locks in the Bank Statement, she secures a victory via tap-out.
Drew Gulak approaches Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville in their office and expresses excitement towards the news by Mr. McMahon earlier tonight and believes it's what he needs to face new competition. Gulak asks for a match against someone new on SmackDown, and after a sly look between Deville and Pearce, Gulak's request is granted.
Following his return to WWE on Night 1, Cody Rhodes comes to the ring to his theme song "Kingdom." Rhodes begins by saying "Never say never." Rhodes says his father and brother began something in WWE before he came in the doors the first time. After a few years, he felt he had lost himself, so he went away to find himself, to build and grow a Kingdom. Now the American Nightmare returns to realize his dream, to finish writing the Rhodes story. Cody says he is here to be a main event player and the first step was walking through those doors again. Cody gets an ovation from the fans before making his way to the back.
Kevin Patrick asks United States Champion Finn Balor about Ricochet's defeat earlier to Apollo Crews and asks if the bad luck will continue trending, before Balor stops Patrick. Balor says he had a chance to face Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Championship. That was, until Madcap Moss interrupted that. Balor says the match will be quick, but it won't be pretty or painless. Balor makes a bee-line for the ring.
NON-TITLE MATCHFinn Balor vs. Madcap Moss (w/Happy Corbin)Balor is fired up and Corbin's concern continues to grow. The United States Champion is on a different level than Madcap Moss and Corbin eventually turned his back on Madcap Moss and went to the back. After a commercial, Finn Balor continues toying with Moss and goes up for the Coup de Grace when Corbin comes back with a microphone. Corbin distracts Balor and announces that after he eliminated Balor earlier this evening, this Friday, he'll be challenging Balor for the United States Championship! Balor looks back to the ring and sees Moss getting to his feet and leaps over Moss before hitting a corner dropkick and still manages to climb up, lock eyes with Corbin, and hit the Coup de Grace for the win.
After the win is secured, Finn Balor's handed his United States Championship - the same title he defends this Friday on SmackDown - and stares down Happy Corbin from afar.
Jimmy Smith previews this Friday's SmackDown card apart of the new era introduced by Mr. McMahon earlier tonight.
Finn Balor defends the United States Championship against Happy Corbin
Drew Gulak in action against "new competition"
AJ Styles versus Sheamus, per Adam Pearce
Rey Mysterio versus Sami Zayn, per Sonya Deville
It's time... The Undisputed WWE Champion Roman Reigns is making his entrance to the ring alongside Paul Heyman and defends his title against King Woods next in the main event.
UNDISPUTED WWE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHRoman Reigns(c) (w/Paul Heyman) vs. King Woods (w/Kofi Kingston)The incumbent champion is clearly not 100% after his match 24 hours ago with Brock Lesnar. King Woods isn't quite feeling good either after a 30-man battle royal earlier tonight, but he is running on a high with the opportunity to win the first singles title of his career, let alone becoming the undisputed WWE Champion. Reigns' reign at the top flashed before his eyes after a Limit Break got a 2.9 and Woods nearly became champion tonight on Raw!
The crowd is behind Woods and he measures Roman Reigns for a Shining Wizard but Reigns pops up and hits an uppercut followed by a Superman Punch. Reigns waits in the corner and as Kofi Kingston tries encouraging King Woods to his feet, Kingston is attacked by The Usos. This catches the attention of The King and he turns into a Spear by Roman Reigns! Reigns hooks the leg and gets the three count.
The Usos do not let up on this attack on Kofi Kingston and Reigns demands a chair from his wiseman, Paul Heyman. Reigns begins smashing King Woods with the chair and demands the crowd in Dallas acknowledge him. The Usos throw Kofi Kingston in the ring and The Bloodline stand above The New Day's Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods. Reigns continues to demand Kingston and Woods acknowledge him. Reigns gets ready to smash them before it's interrupted by music... VEER! VEER IS HERE!
Veer heads down and the much-anticipated debut of Veer... it's time! Veer slowly walks down the ramp and Roman Reigns can't wrap his head around what he's doing. Veer gets inside the ring and stands by the side of Woods and Kingston, looking Reigns dead in the eye. Reigns motions for The Bloodline to depart the ring as the Undisputed WWE Champion backs away from a confrontation with Veer. Reigns gets the championship from his wiseman and leaves Raw without anything further happening.
