The following are the results of the April 1st edition of WWE RAW, which is the final RAW show before WrestleMania 29 this Sunday, April 7th. The show took place at The Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.
Note: Tonight’s RAW has a 3-man booth with JBL joining Michael Cole and Jerry “The King” Lawler.
In Ring Segment
WWE RAW opens tonight with John Cena, as he makes his way to the ring. John Cena delivers a powerful and passionate message directed at The Rock. Cena claims that The Rock’s time as WWE Champ is over, and it’s his time now. At WrestleMania, John Cena says he will “shock the world!” “The Champ is here.”
6-Man Tag Team Match
Randy Orton, Sheamus and The Big Show defeated 3MB by pin fall when Big Show landed a KO punch on Jinder Mahal. After the match, The Shield appeared through the crowd to address the victors. They tell the trio that they have finally convinced themselves that they can work together, but The Shield is a true team, and they will not be defeated at WrestleMania.
Video Segment
Jack Swagger and Zeb Colter are shown at the nation’s capital earlier today. Swagger wants to change America, and it starts this Sunday, when a real American becomes World Heavyweight Champion. That is Jack Swagger’s America, and if we don’t like it, then we are not real Americans. “We the people.”
Backstage Segment
Matt Striker interviews Alberto Del Rio, who responds to Jack Swagger’s video, and says America is the land of opportunity. Del Rio doesn’t understand why Zeb Colter has challenged him to a match later tonight, but he says Colter is a big fat pinata with a mustache.
Singles Match
Dolph Ziggler (w/AJ & Big E. Langston) defeated Daniel Bryan (w/Kane) by pin fall with a roll up from behind. After the match, Langston attacked Bryan, but Kane got back into the ring for an attempted save, but Langston hit his finisher on Kane.
In Ring Segment
Hall of Famer and “Mr. WrestleMania” Shawn Michaels makes his return for the first time since last August, when Brock Lesnar broke his arm. Michaels hypes up the card for WrestleMania, and then goes on to discuss the match between Triple H and Brock Lesnar. The music of Triple H interrupts Michaels before he is able to speak about the match. Triple H tells HBK that he knows what he is doing in this match against Lesnar.
Michaels goes on to talk about his retirement match at WrestleMania, but his match was different because his opponent (The Undertaker) respected him. HBK respected him as well, and appreciated that Taker never bragged about retiring him. HBK tells Triple H that his opponent has no respect for him or the fans, he is just there to hurt people. However, HBK says he is not there to tell Triple H that he can’t beat Lesnar. He is there to tell him he better beat Lesnar, and this Sunday, Shawn Michaels will be in Triple H’s corner!
Just as HBK and Triple H where about to answer, “We got 2 words for you,” Brock Lesnar’s music hits. Lesnar comes out with Paul Heyman, ready to hit the ring, but Heyman stops him. Heyman says that Lesnar gets paid to fight, so he’s not getting in that ring now. Heyman delivers a great promo, with the underlying message being that Triple H made a mistake signing for this match, and that Brock Lesnar will defeat him and retire him.
Singles Match
Wade Barrett defeated Zack Ryder by pin fall with the Bull Hammer Elbow. The Miz was on commentary during the match, and it was confirmed that the Intercontinental Title match will be on the one hour Pre-Show this Sunday.
Backstage Segment
Vickie Guerrero and Brad Maddox are shown talking, when Santino Marrella interrupts. He tells them that Vince McMahon is there and he is angry, he thinks someone is getting fired! They both get nervous, but Santino tells them it’s just an April Fools joke. Guerrero and Maddox tell Santino to get ready, he’s got a match next.
Singles Match
Mark Henry defeated Santino Marrella by pin fall with the World’s Strongest Slam. Ryback comes out after the match, and Henry grabs a mic. Henry reminds Ryback they have a “No Contact” clause until WrestleMania, and Henry smiles at Ryback and starts to leave the ring. Ryback grabs Santino and uses him to hit Henry to the outside, then military presses Santino to the outside landing on Henry. Ryback gets a little revenge from last Friday, without touching Henry, thanks to Santino.
Backstage Segment
Striker introduces CM Punk, who is holding the urn. A very confident CM Punk tells the world that he is ready for this Sunday. He says he’ll do whatever it takes, even “steeping on graves” to do what no one else has been able to do at WrestleMania.
Singles Match
Alberto Del Rio (w/Riccardo Rodriguez) defeated Zeb Colter (w/Jack Swagger) by disqualification when Zeb Colter hit Del Rio across his back with Riccardo’s crutch. Afterwards, Swagger and Colter beat Del Rio down further with the metal crutches.
In Ring Segment
The WWE Champ, The Rock makes his way to the ring. “Connection” is the word he uses to describe the relationship he has with the fans and the WWE Universe. The Rock goes on to say that ‘Mania isn’t about redemption, it’s about the “will of the people,” which is for him to stomp on Cena. The Rock breaks out all of his famous phrases, and we even got the People’s Eyebrow when he delivered “If you smell what The Rock is cooking!”
Michael Cole highlights the difference between the two superstars after The Rock was finished. He says that The Rock is full of confidence heading into this Sunday, while Cena knows that this is his last chance?
Singles Match
Chris Jericho defeated Antonio Cesaro by submission with the Walls of Jericho. After the match, Fandango attacked Jericho and hit the Flying Leg Drop twice. He grabs a mic, and reminds everyone it’s “FAN…DAN…GO.”
Divas Tag-Team Match
Nikki and Brie Bella (w/Team Rhodes Scholars) defeated Naomi and Cameron (w/Brodus Clay and Tensai) by pin fall.
In Ring Segment
The final segment of RAW before WrestleMania this Sunday, is The Undertaker’s evisceration of CM Punk. Undertaker says that Punk is the one who has made this personal, and he has disrespected Paul Bearer. He says that his ‘Mania streak may end this Sunday, but Punk won’t live to talk about it.
Then The Undertaker is interrupted by Druids that have walked onto the ramp way. Then we hear what sounds like Paul Bearer enter, and it’s Paul Heyman dressed exactly like Paul Bearer holding the urn up. The Undertaker leaves the ring and walks towards Paul Heyman who is at the top of the ramp. As he reaches the top, he looks around at the Druids, and realizes one of them is CM Punk. He begins to punch a Druid, and attack another, but neither was Punk. One of the Druids then attacks Undertaker, and it was CM Punk, and Punk was able to beat him down with the urn. In the end, Punk untwists the urn open, and poors all the ashes of Paul Bearer onto The Undertaker. RAW goes off the air with Punk holding the urn up, and Taker laying on the ramp covered in ashes.
