WWE champion Drew McIntyre had to be separated by NXT superstars from Bobby Lashley, who will contest McIntyre for his title at Backlash on June 14. Raw featured another women’s Champion vs. Champion match and a future Hall of Famer’s retirement ceremony.
Aleister Black vs. Seth Rollins
Prior to the match, Rollins said Rey Mysterio left him “no choice but to enlighten him.” Rollins said it was “his duty” to appreciate Mysterio’s career by hosting the retirement ceremony, and that Mysterio “allowed himself to be sacrificed for the greater good.”
Black charged the ring when his music hit. Rollins avoided Black at the start of the match, but pulled him from the ring upon exiting. Black struck Rollins outside but Rollins gained the upper hand once the action returned to the ring.
Murphy and Austin Theory clapped at ringside as Rollins pushed Black around the ring and against the ropes. Rollins tossed Black out of the ring and hit a suicide dive. Black superkicked Rollins back inside but was soon tossed out again, and Murphy and Theory approached Black. Humberto Carrillo entered the arena with a chair to even the numbers disadvantage.
The competitors escaped a hold and Black kicked Rollins. Rollins hit a slingblade for a two-count. Black responded with a moonsault off the ropes for a two-count. Rollins countered a Black Mass with a kick and a Falcon Arrow for a near-fall. He attempted a frog splash but Black lifted his knees.
The two fought on the apron and Black kicked Rollins into the ringpost. Black backflipped from the apron onto Rollins, but was on the opposite end of a frog splash inside the ring. Black was setting up to kick Rollins but Murphy and Theory provided distractions. Carrillo fought the two disciples outside the ring, and Rollins rolled Black up with a quick pin but Black reversed into his own pin and won the match.
Kevin Owens vs. Apollo Crews
United States Championship match
Crews earned his first championship in WWE after becoming United States champion upon defeating Andrade last week. He put his new belt on the line against an opponent of his choosing, and Owens was the choice. However, Owens said the choice may have been out of “pity,” but Crews said it was out of “respect.”
The two fist-bumped to start the match and traded dropkicks. The two exited the ring and Owens hit a senton after Crews attempted the same. Owens kicked Crews’s lower midsection and the match paused for a minute before the two battled outside the ring when action resumed.
Crews kicked Owens and hit a powerslam, but could not execute an olympic slam. Owens hit a moonsault off the turnbuckle for a two-count. Crews countered a Pop-Up Powerbomb with an Olympic slam and a standing shooting star, but only earned a two-count.
Crews lifted his knees when Owens went for a splash, then Angel Garza and Andrade entered the ring and caused the match to end in disqualification.
Apollo Crews and Kevin Owens vs. Angel Garza and Andrade
Zelina Vega’s two clients ruined the match between their two opponents, so the four started a tag team match. Crews took kicks from both Garza and Andrade when the match began, and was kicked by Garza after trying to jump from the turnbuckle.
Owens hot-tagged and chased Garza, who hit Owens’s mouth and tagged Andrade. Owens hit a senton to Andrade but was distracted by Garza. Crews tagged into the match and slammed Andrade while Garza took out Owens outside the ring. Crews hit a powerbomb to Andrade for the win.
The Viking Raiders and The Street Profits go bowling
The score is 2-1 in favor of the Raw Tag Team Champions in the Anything You Can Do, We Can Do Better challenge. The two teams found a bowling alley in the fourth installment.
Ford rolled a gutter ball and Dawkins’s unusual form cost the Champions an early lead. Erik and Ivar found a turkey leg in the ball chute as they rolled along the frames. Ivar invaded the kitchen for more turkey legs, but was caught.
The Viking Raiders held a 100-21 lead after five frames. Ford requested the cosmic bowling to be turned on, and his team’s skills improved as the lights went out. The Viking Raiders won, 131-130.
Nikki Cross vs. Billie Kay
The IIconics have given the Women’s Tag Team champions fits in recent weeks, and Cross and Kay fought in a singles match.
Cross bounced Kay off each turnbuckle then drop-kicked her. Kay hit a Shades of Kay for a two-count. She hit a backbreaker and an elbow-drop, then continued to get upset with the referee for her near-falls. Cross attempted a cross-body from the turnbuckle but Kay countered with a sit-down slam to win the match.
Rey Mysterio’s retirement ceremony
Mysterio joined Tom Phillips via satellite and wore an eyepatch under his mask and over his right eye. Mysterio said he did not have a timetable on when and if he can return. He said he could be cleared to compete in a few weeks or never, then said Rollins “carries a lot of negativity” for a messiah.
Mysterio then disputed he was chosen to be sacrificed. Dominic, Mysterio’s son, spoke with his father about Rollins’ behavior. Mysterio then gave an “official statement” to Rollins as part of the retirement ceremony, citing the hardships his family has gone through because of Rollins. Dominic closed the video telling Rollins “an eye for an eye.”
R-Truth vs. Rob Gronkowski
Gronkowski captured the 24/7 Championship at WrestleMania 36 after defeating Mojo Rawley. This was before Gronkowski came out of retirement and was traded from the New England Patriots to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so his NFL status has caused his WWE career to take a detour.
As Gronkowski prepared to record a TikTok in Foxborough, Mass., R-Truth was disguised as a landscaper. Truth rolled-up Gronkowski in his yard and won the 24/7 Championship.
Kairi Sane vs. Nia Jax
Jax attacked Sane backstage two weeks ago and then won the right to challenge Asuka at Backlash for the Raw Women’s Championship. Prior to the match, Jax said she has “constantly been attacked” by Sane and Asuka in a 2-1 disadvantage. She questioned Asuka’s legitimacy to be the title holder and asked why she was seen as the villain.
Sane jumped at Jax to start the match and followed with strikes to Jax’s body. She locked in a headlock when Jax picked her up. Sane climbed atop a turnbuckle and countered Jax picking her up with a DDT.
Jax rolled from the ring when Sane again climbed atop a turnbuckle. She grabbed Sane when she attempted a baseball slide and threw her into the ring steps. Jax hit a leg drop to win, and Asuka entered the ring post-match.
Randy Orton responds to Edge
Orton spoke out after Edge’s comments last week about being a five-tool workhorse ahead of their match at Backlash that is being billed as potentially The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever.
Orton addressed Ric Flair claiming Orton was the best to lace a pair of boots. He said he has accomplished more than Edge and other superstars in the locker room by “being Randy Orton.” Orton said Edge’s “storybook ending is going to be rewritten” by the RKO.
Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka
NXT champion Charlotte Flair has taken some high tasks in recent weeks and now faces another champion in Asuka.
The two pushed one another early and Flair yelled her resume against Asuka in recent years. The Queen targeted the left knee of her opponent and used the ropes to her advantage. Asuka attempted to fight back with strikes to her opponent’s head but Flair pushed her to the mat.
Asuka hit a running knee for a two-count, but missed a jump from the top rope. She recovered quickly for an armbar and triangle submission. Flair countered the triangle with a powerbomb and kicked Asuka from the ring.
As Asuka lay near the ramp, Jax entered the arena with Asuka’s music, facemask and face paint. Jax knocked Asuka to the ground as the latter was counted-out.
MVP vs. Drew McIntyre
McIntyre delivered a Claymore to MVP on the VIP Lounge last week, who has been provoking the Champion during the Lashley-McIntyre buildup.
Lana entered the arena prior to the match as she has tried to be supportive of her husband Lashley. McIntyre quickly charged MVP and beat him down in a corner. McIntyre hit a Glasgow Kiss and MVP rolled from the ring, then pushed McIntyre into a ringpost when Lashley distracted him.
McIntyre struck MVP from the top rope, and Lashley pulled his friend from the ring before the champion could hit a Claymore. McIntyre hit a suicide dive and a Claymore to MVP back inside the ring to win the match. Lashley put McIntyre in a full nelson post-match.
