WWE Monday Night Raw comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (April 8, 2024) from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, featuring all the fallout from the WrestleMania 40 extravaganza that went down this past weekend just down the street in the very same city.
Advertised for tonight: Cody Rhodes finally finished the story by dethroning Roman Reigns and becoming WWE champion. There is much to figure out on the heels of that. Elsewhere, Seth Rollins lost the world heavyweight championship to Drew McIntyre and then McIntyre lost it to Damian Priest via Money in the Bank contract cash in. Plus, new Raw tag team champions, and more!
Come right back here at 8 pm ET when the Raw live blog will kick off once the show starts on USA Network. It will be below this line here. Reminder: GIFs and pics allowed, but no links to illegal streams, please.
WWE RAW RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR APRIL 8
Now you’re telling me you’re not nostalgic, then give me another word for it. You were so good with words and at keeping things vague, but me? I’m just good at liveblogging this here pro wrestling show for these folks.
The show opens with Triple H making his entrance and getting on the mic.
He soaks in “Thank you, Hunter!” chants before saying that he came out here to thank us, actually, because now he can say WrestleMania XL was the greatest one every, by every metric and standard. He says he had the privilege of welcoming us to WrestleMania Saturday and now he has the privilege of welcoming us to Monday Night Raw.
On Saturday he welcomed us to a new era, so right now he wants us all to welcome the man that will lead us into that new era, your WWE Undisputed Champion, “American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes!
He makes his entrance and Hunter congratulates him on many things, including setting a gate record tonight, and says he got a call last night from a couple guys at the studio that Cody’s known for a long time and says they made him something special and asked Hunter to share it with him, and HHH said he was gonna share it with everyone.
Without the big tron they had to bootleg some monitors and Triple H tosses to the video package, which of course is a very emotional chronicling of Cody’s career, from the Legacy to the Dashing days to leaving for the indies and Japan and AEW to his triumphant return and road to the title.
Cody stands, emotional and proud, as the crowd chants “You deserve it!” He lays the belt down in the middle of the ring and kisses it before speaking, asking what we want to talk about. He thought he knew what he wanted to talk about, this whole business. Something he heard, and he asks Samantha Irvin to announce him just one more time, which of course she obliges.
He says two years ago he came out here and laid out his goals and dreamed in the open and last night that dream became reality. He’s been told the altitude in Philadelphia is 39 feet above sea level but the air seems thin because right here nd now he’s standing on top of the mountain.
He talks about Roman Reigns’ 1,316-day title reign and acknowledges what he’s done and calls him the most important superstar of our generation, which gets a “Thank you, Roman!” chant. A thing they ask you when you get into wrestling is “what is your ‘why’,” which is to say why are you getting into this?
He wants to show everyone one of his main whys, and it’s a short clip of his daughter, Liberty, telling her papa to finish the story, and he wants her to know what when papa goes to work he goes to work in the main event, that when papa is fighting, he’s no longer challenger but rather champion.
It’s a unique predicament, he always stood in the line but now the line is for him. He’s Cody Rhodes, once undesirable, become undeniable, and now undisputed champion.
(If ya smell...!)
Enter Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson.
He takes a moment as “Rocky sucks!” chants come down before beginning, saying the Rock is a lot of things but sucks isn’t one of them. He says he came out here to give Cody his flowers and also say that Philadelphia broke another record for the largest gathering of trailer park trash.
He says he came out here, no fireworks, no blood spilled, just to give him his flowers, becaue he did it. He beat Roman Reigns in the middle of the ring, 1-2-3. He recounts the story of their feud, talking about the smile on Cody’s mom’s face and how she should be proud, and how the American Dream in heaven also had a big smile on his face.
Lots of people know that Dusty Rhodes was Rock’s hero, and his dad, “Soul Man” Rocky Johnson was friends with Dusty and he wondered briefly if his dad would be happy with what he did to Cody, but he decided he didn’t care. He talks about the title belt and the new plates and asks if there’s any way the Rock can hold it.
No fireworks tonight, no harm, he grew up in wrestling and he’s held all of the titles... but not that one. Rhodes says if he can hold his for a moment if he gets to hold his. Rock says he’d be honored if Cody were to hold the People’s Championship, and they cautiously trade belts as “This is awkward!” chants break out.
Rock says holding the undisputed championship just feels right before thanking Cody and passing him the belt back. Dwayne says everyone knows he has to go away for a little while now but he made wrestling cool again, but when he comes back, whether Cody still has the title or not, he’s coming for him.
Rhodes says he’s looking forward to it, Rock says he is too, and has one more thing to share— he beat Roman Reigns right in the middle of the ring... but 24 hours before, the Rock beat him. His story with Roman is over, but their story has just begun.
Cody steps to him and says Rock is the boss, but he’s the champion, the champion of the people, and that means that he’s the Rock’s champion. Johnson says he’s correct and he has something to give Cody, no fireworks. The Rock reaches into his pocket and places something into Rhodes’ hand.
He says he doesn’t have to open his hand to know what it is, and tells him to never break his heart again.
We get a montage of talent arriving at the building earlier today.
Ilja Dragunov vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Nakamura blasts him with a kick, they trade forearms, Shinsuke with a series of falling knees, Dragunov comes back hard with a knee off the second, rolling German suplexes, Nakamura with an armbar, Ilja comes back with the Constantine Special! Diving senton, nobody home, sliding German suplex, Shinsuke up top, diving Kinshasa... NOPE!
Dragunov with a German suplex, Nakamura gets the Kinshasa to the back of the head, only two! Big chop, Shinsuke back body drops him, pump Kinshasa gets a big boot! Powerbomb from Ilja, H Bomb follows it up! Charging in...
Ilja Dragunov wins by pinfall with Torpedo Moskau.
We get a recap of the World Heavyweight Championship situation last night and we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get a media hype reel for WrestleMania XL.
The three non-title members of Judgment Day are in the ring and Finn Balor is on the mic calling out the haters and the doubters and telling us we were all wrong. Dominik Mysterio gives Rhea Ripley a big introduction.
Rhea says WrestleMania was almost perfect and now they have a couple new problems. But two things came out of this weekend— Mami is always on top, and it’s a new era for Judgment Day. Finn Balor introduces Damian Priest, your new World Heavyweight Champion.
Priest says the Terror Twins stand before you as world champions, and it goes without saying that they always rise to the occasion, and now the whole world needs to follow suit and rise for the Judgment Day. They hold their titles up and R-Truth slips in with his half of the Raw tag titles and claims he’s here to celebrate and he just brought the tag titles back to Judgment Day.
He says he knows they’re picky on who gets to join but he thinks the other half of the tag titles should join—
Enter the Miz.
He says he doesn’t want to be in Judgment Day and he knows Truth doesn’t want to be either, and introduces Awesome Truth as your new Raw Tag Team Champions. Balor says they’re gonna be the shortest-reigning tag champs because he wants to have his rematch right now.
Truth says that’d be great but there’s only three of them, and somehow he jumps to a six-man tag team match featuring the two of them and the guy they can’t see against the Judgment Day. JD accepts the match and Miz says he wants to actually see his partner, and Truth says he will and starts to introduce his partner as Judgment Day attacks.
Judgment Day stands tall and we go to break.
Awesome Truth (R-Truth & the Miz) & “Man You Can’t See” vs. Judgment Day (Dominik Mysterio, Finn Balor, & JD McDonagh)
Back from commercial, match joined in progress, Truth as face in peril with no third man up on the apron. Tag to Miz, kicks back Mysterio into the corner, Awesome Clothesline, folding press, front kick, double basem*nt DDT! Referee Rod Zapata distracted, Miz gets worked over on the floor and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Miz reaching, desperate for the tag, Judgment Day clear Truth off the apron and McDonagh rains punches down on the A-Lister and flexes... JOHN CENA IS HERE! THE MAN YOU CAN’T SEE! Miz makes the tag! Cena in hot, off the ropes, shoulder block, shoulder block, fall-forward Blue Thunder Driver, Truth hits one too and so does the Miz!
“You can’t see me!” in triplicate, triple Five Knuckle Shufle, triple Attitude Adjustment...
Awesome Truth & John Cena win by pinfall with an Attitude Adjustment from Cena on JD McDonagh.
We get a recap of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal in Memory of Andre the Giant.
“Big” Bronson Reed cuts a promo about how he’s gonna show everybody that he’s the big man around here, and we go to break.
Back from commercial, commentary hypes up attendance for all five WrestleMania weekend shows up as 201,924.
Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio are walking backstage and Rhea berates him for putting faith in Andrade el Idolo and tells him to do something about it. He says he’s gonna go talk to Adam Pearce.
A CHAIR WHIPS AT RHEA’S HEAD OUT OF NOWHERE! LIV MORGAN APPEARS AND BEATS RIPLEY DOWN AS REFEREES SWARM!
Indi Hartwell vs. Roxanne Perez
Perez with a slap out the gates, sleeper hold attempt, Hartwell backs her into the turnbuckles, side Russian legsweep, cover for two! Pick the leg, stepover toehold, Indi kicks her aside and gourdbusters her! Big lariat follows, another one, rake the eyes...
Roxanne Perez wins by pinfall with Pop Rox.
Post-match, Candice LeRae jaws at Indi.
We get another media hype reel for WrestleMania XL.
Jey Uso greets Sami Zayn backstage and they congratulate each other on their big wins and shake hands to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Natalya confronts Roxanne Perez to tell her she’s going to see her tomorrow at NXT.
Sami Zayn makes his entrance as your new Intercontinental Champion and gets on the mic.
He gets a “You deserve it!” chant and says that means a lot to him and he’s had a pretty historic couple years at WrestleMania and he thinks that he did. But that’s not true because really it was GUNTHER that made the history— you boo but you can’t take 666 days as champion away from him.
He says he owes us for the help, for the times he didn’t believe in himself, and he thanks his wife and his kid and his brother Kevin Owens for firing him up before he walked through the curtain, and one other guy helped him out too—
Enter Imperium of Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser.
Kaiser talks about the work GUNTHER put into the title and what a shame it is that he lost it to someone like Sami who looks like all the other peasants in Philadelphia. He follows it up by saying that they’re here to make this right and they strip their shirts off and advance on Sami.
Chad Gable makes the save and we go to break!
Back from commercial we get a house ad for Backlash.
A hype reel for Sheamus follows.
Chad Gable & Sami Zayn vs. Imperium (Giovanni Vinci & Ludwig Kaiser)
Match joined in progress, Gable takes Vinci down with a drop toehold, Giovanni with a chop, to the corner, O’Connor roll, nearfall, crossbody sets up an arm drag! Tags made, Zayn ends up backed into heel corner for quick tags. Tag back to Chad, double diving lariats to the floor, a-thank you!
Back to Sami, thinking Blue Thunder Driver, denied, Tree of Woe stereo dropkicks, Imperium in control and we go to break!
Back from commercial, Zayn makes some separation for himself, tag to Gable! Snap running swinging neckbreaker on Vinci, Manhattan Drop and an explode suplex for Kaiser, exploder suplex for Giovanni! Cactus Crossbody takes Kaiser out, cannonball off the apron, back up top, diving headbutt... NOPE!
Moonsault, nobody home, Ludwig with a boot, Chad floats over, waistlock, blind tag, Chaos Theory blocked, Vinci with a back suplex! Powerbomb lift... IMPERIUM BOMB BUT SAMI BREAKS IT UP! Gable with a suplex, Zayn runs in, stereo Germans on the Germans! Another pair, a third!
Tag to Sami, ankle lock applied, Kaiser pulls Gable off the apron and cuts Zayn off with an enzuigiri! Sami hits the exploder, fired up, waiting for it, he decides to tag Chad in, Helluva Kick connects...
Chad Gable & Sami Zayn win by pinfall with Chaos Theory from Gable on Giovanni Vinci.
Jey Uso cuts a promo about how he’s gonna yeetdown all the other guys in the #1 contender’s match.
Cut to Ricochet shadowboxing and not talking, which is about right.
Nick Aldis, Adam Pearce, and Ava Raine are backstage chatting about the draft when Chelsea Green rolls up.
She complains, Pearce says they’ve heard her complaints and they have something for her and tell her to go to the ring for her moment.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, commentary hypes up the WWE Draft, happening this year on April 26 and 29.
Chelsea Green vs. Jade Cargill
Green, apoplectic, demands the match be stopped, she turns around and Cargill blasts her with a pump kick...
Jade Cargill wins by pinfall with Jaded.
Another WrestleMania XL hype reel follows.
Sami Zayn rolls up on Alpha Academy and asks them to give him a moment with Chad Gable.
Zayn says Chad asked for a favor and he knows exactly what he wants and it’d be his honor to defend this Intercontinental Championship against him, next week in his hometown of Montreal.
Drew McIntyre makes his entrance and gets on the mic.
He says what happened last night was complete and utter BS. His moment only lasted five minutes and forty-six seconds, which is five minutes more than most of the fans in the crowd last in bed. He thanks CM Punk for sharing a moment between warriors and says Damian Priest messed it up.
Money in the Bank is a joke that’s cost him the title twice and cheapens everything they’ve done and Damian is only a transitional champion. He keeps yelling until Jey Uso makes his entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial, commentary hypes up next week’s show.
“Big” Bronson Reed vs. Drew McIntyre vs. “Main Event” Jey Uso vs. Ricochet (WWE World Heavyweight Championship #1 Contender’s Match)
Pairing off, Ricochet manages to clear the ring, tope con giro and we go to break!
Back from commercial, table leaned in the corner and Reed runs Uso over before dropping an elbow on him! Bronson makes good use of the table and we go to break! Ricochet with an enzuigiri on Reed, one for McIntyre as well, he’s fired up! Bronson throws the One and Only OVER Drew McIntyre, who powers up face-to-face with him and they start slugging it out!
Corner body avalanche from Reed, goes for a second, sidestepped, Drew with a Michinoku Driver... USO BREAKS IT UP! Superkick party staggers Drew, Reed joins in to take him out, two from Uso and Ricochet to stagger Big and they go at each other! Double lariat from Reed, Jey with the spear... DREW BREAKS IT UP!
Up top with Jey, jockeying for position, headbutt crotches McIntyre and a second puts him in the Tree of Woe! Uso fends Ricochet off but eats the spider belly-to-belly! Ricochet with a dropkick, Bronson powerbombs him into Drew, running Death Valley Driver... SO CLOSE!
Reed off the apron with a shoulder to McIntyre, clearing the Spanish announce desk! Ricochet knocks Uso off the top, perches... SENTON ATOMICO PUTS BRONSON REED THROUGH THE SPANISH ANNOUNCE DESK! Back and forth, Drew has the Claymore lined up but CM Punk appears from under the ring to grab his foot!
Main Event with a superkick, a spear, up top...
“Main Event” Jey Uso wins by pinfall with a diving splash on Drew McIntyre to become #1 contender to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
That’s the show, folks.
