WWE Raw results, live blog (April 10, 2017): Superstar Shake-Up

WWE Monday Night Raw comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (April 10, 2017) from the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York featuring the first night of Vince McMahon’s promised “Superstar Shake-up” designed to freshen up the Raw and SmackDown rosters.

Advertised for tonight: Trades, deals and other moves between new General Manager Kurt Angle and his blue brand counterpart Daniel Bryan, more from returning stars Finn Bálor & The Hardys, build to the Payback pay-per-view (PPV) coming in three weeks and more!

Come right back here at 8 p.m. ET when the Raw live blog kicks off once the show starts on USA. It will be below this line here. (REMINDER: NO GIFS OR PICS ARE ALLOWED IN THE COMMENTS SECTION. OFFENDERS WILL BE BANNED.)

WWE RAW RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR APRIL 10

Take the reins of power and seize them, draw the battle lines, armageddon's just a matter of time. Tear down the voice of reason, let the arrows fly. Your freedom's just a state of mind, but this here liveblog is a comprehensive record of what's about to happen on Raw tonight, folks.

Show opens with the Raw intro video.

Michael Cole welcomes us to the show and says that no one is immune to the Superstar Shake-Up.

Enter John Cena and Nikki Bella, who are once again totally not Miz and Maryse. Commentary informs us that they have in fact been sent to Raw. Cena informs us that the champ is here and reminds us that rule #1 is that no one may, at any time, chant "Cena sucks!"

So of course the crowd runs with it. He introduces his gorgeous fiancee Nikki Bella who he sincerely loves and did not propose to just for the free publicity. They were supposed to go to Hollywood, but Hollywood doesn't want them, because they're not good actors. Robotic, even, whatever that means.

And so they took full advantage of the Superstar Shake-Up to return to Monday Night Raw...

Enter Dean Ambrose, carrying the Intercontinental Championship. He's glad to see Cena and Nikki, he was worried he wouldn't know anybody on Raw but here they are! He congratulates them and hugs them tight, forcing Miz to halfway break character before Ambrose cuts him off.

He congratulates them on beating Miz and Maryse at WrestleMania because those two are the worst, and Miz again tries to cut him off. Dean congratulates him on his continued success in acting, and how he nailed the voice acting role as the elephant who likes pistachios.

Miz points out that it's actually Maryse next to him, she takes the wig off, and he admits that he is in fact Miz, taking the hat off. The understanding washes over Dean and he snaps a Dirty Deeds off on the A-lister!

Commentary tells us we're getting a sit-down with Roman Reigns, but first, New Day get a shot at revenge against the Revival, after the break.

Back from commercial, Kurt Angle is on the phone in his office telling someone it's gonna be a great year when Sami Zayn rolls up. He says the anticipation is killing him and he needs to know what he's gonna be doing. For months people were telling him he belongs on SmackDown, but now that Kurt's here he feels safe.

Angle says Sami's been a huge asset to Raw but there's been a lot of interest from SmackDown. Sami asks "a lot of interest" and Angle confirms. Zayn tries to get him to quantify when Miz and Maryse roll up. They're upset they just escaped "the tyranny of Daniel Bryan" only to run into Dean Ambrose.

Sami cuts them off and nearly gets into a fight with Miz, so Angle makes Sami Zayn vs. the Miz for tonight.

Big E does the deal and New Day enter. E is holding a Kofi Kingston blow-up doll. Big says this may come as a surprise, but that's not actually Kofi. Xavier Woods says that while Kofi isn't with them physically, his spirit resides in that blow-up doll. E says the Top Guys are gonna get their boots between their cheeks, and Woods says they're holding a job fair and invites the Revival down to get some work.

(SAY YEAH!)

New Day (Big E & Xavier Woods) vs. the Revival (Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson)

Woods and Wilder to start, Xavier in with a kick and hammer blows. Quick tags, double teams, playing the Revival's game to isolate him but Dash pulls Woods by the hair and makes a tag as we go to break.

Back from commercial Dawson has a waistlock on Woods but Xavier is fighting to his feet and out with elbows. A back suplex blocks the tag and gets two. Scott yanks Woods up by his hair and tags Dash in. Xavier trying a sunset flip, Dawson tags back in and grabs his waistband to block the tag.

Going for the suplex again, Woods lands on his feet and hits a rolling elbow! Tags made, E comes in with the trifecta of belly-to-belly suplexes. Big splash, Scott runs in and gets thrown out, Wilder trying an O'Connor roll, blocked, Dawson runs interference, a roll-up and a handful of tights gets a nearfall.

Tags made again, Dawson takes a belly-to-belly in the corner, Xavier climbs... COAST TO COAST ELBOW DROP! NOT ENOUGH! Dash back in, Woods throwing elbows, E gets Dawson up for Midnight Hour but Wilder runs interference and Xavier drops into the trap...

The Revival win by pinfall with Shatter Machine on Xavier Woods.

Commentary tells us we're going to learn the fate of Seth Rollins, which I assume is "he will continue to wrestle for WWE for at least as long as his contract runs", but whatever you gotta do to build drama, I guess.

And on that note, we go to break.

Back from commercial, Neville is lurking backstage when an interview rolls up, asking about Austin Aries being #1 contender again. The King says he's already proven that Austin Aries is not on the Neville Level, and as far as the rest of the cruiserweights go...

Enter TJ Perkins, telling him to be careful what he says because one of these days somebody's gonna make him eat those words. Neville asks who might do that, and TJP says he will. The King says maybe he's right, but TJ isn't taking his title and he's never getting a chance again.

He tells TJ to take a long hard look at himself, look at what he's become, because he was the first champion and now he's career is a joke. He's been overlooked, missed opportunities, and the only person that has any respect for him around here is Neville.

Aries rolls up, banana in hand, incredulous at what Neville is saying. He may be wearing his sunglasses, inside, at night, but even he can see that Neville is lying. The King tells TJ to believe what he wants but remember that only one man can give him a championship opportunity.

Austin says TJP can't possibly believe this, and the former champ walks off.

Curt Hawkins is in the ring asking us to face the facts. He is back on Raw, and it's huge, the greatest get since the Lousiana Purchase. And now we celebrate! He asks the welcoming party to come out...

Enter the Big Show. He gets in the ring and stares a hole through Hawkins. Curt goes to give him a hug... and Show clobbers him with the WMD.

Commentary reminds us of the Roman Reigns interview and we go to break.

Back from commercial, Neville joins the commentary team for cruiserweight action.

Austin Aries vs. TJ Perkins

Circling, collar and elbow, TJ with a waistlock, standing switch, Aries hits the takedown and rides Perkins to a cover before locking the reverse chinlock on. TJP reverses, hammerlock, side headlock, shot off, sunset flip, pop-up headscissors takeover, flip over and TJ taunts.

Back to circling, collar and elbow, Austin with a wristlock, TJ rolls to reverse, Aries reverses with a headlock, runs the ropes, drop down, cartwheel, Perkins with a headscissors, Austin escapes with a headstand to a dropkick and takes a breather on the top turnbuckle.

Perkins charges into a back elbow, jockeying for position, back body drop to the apron, overhead elbow into a slingshot senton from Aries. Back elbow, snapmare, diving corkscrew elbow for two, Austin follows with a facelock but TJ gets out with a rolling solebutt, uppercut, in the ropes for the fakeout, triangle dropkick comes up empty!

Aries claps the ears, neckbreaker over the second rope, he climbs up top... DIVING BRAIN CHOP TO THE OUTSIDE! Austin celebrates with the fans and Neville leaves commentary. Referee Rod Zapata is counting and Aries breaks away from the King's gaze long enough to slide back in, but TJP is ready for him...

TJ Perkins wins by pinfall with a small package.

After the match, Perkins blindsides Aries! Fireman's carry... DETONATION KICK!

Seth Rollins is walking backstage, he runs into Enzo & Cass and exchanges greetings, he'll be up after the break.

Back from commercial and Seth Rollins makes his entrance.

He says it feels good to be out here with the fans, because he didn't know he'd have the opportunity to stand on his own two feet and do that ever again. He put everything he had into getting ready for WrestleMania, and because of that he couldn't think about after WrestleMania.

Seth woke up the morning after in more pain than he's ever been in. Physically, he was messed up, but mentally and emotionally, he was at peace, because he knew he left it all in the ring and more importantly, he did it. No, we did it, we slayed the King of Kings.

He wants to take the opportunity, step back for one second and thank us from the bottom of his heart for giving him a second chance and having his back. And he promises that WrestleMania isn't the finish line and we're just getting started on Monday Night Raw.

He has scores to settle, the name Samoa Joe comes to mind. Some goals, like finally getting his hands on the Universal Championship, but the problem he's running into is that, based on something that happened at WrestleMania, he may not get those opportunities.

They roll footage of Stephanie McMahon going through the table at WrestleMania. Rollins says he's probably not going to be employee of the month, but more importantly, Steph is gonna come back to work eventually and have to see him and it's gonna remind her, every week, of her failure and her husband's defeat.

If he's not already public enemy number one, he's gonna shoot to the top of her list. So it's probably easier to pack his bags and go to SmackDown. The crowd is not a fan of this option. But Rollins says he took the easy way out before and he's not doing it again.

That's not who he is, that's not who he wants to be, so if Steph wants to ship him out, she's gonna need an army to force him out, because he's not leaving without a fight.

Enter Kurt Angle. He gets in the ring and tells Seth he's gonna be straight up with him. It's true, Stephanie made it clear she wants him gone, and if they would have had this conversation two weeks ago, he would be gone. But at WrestleMania, he saw something he never saw before.

He thought it was impressive winning a gold medal with a broken freakin' neck, but Seth is the one-legged man that won an asskicking contest! Angle's not here to play politics, he's here to put on a show, and his show has Seth frickin' Rollins, and as long as he's GM, he has a home on Raw.

They shake hands and Angle takes his leave.

Samoa Joe blindsides Rollins! Kurt heads in the ring to break 'em up but Seth takes Joe down and beats on him! Standing punches, Samoa throws a headbutt and eats an enzuigiri and Avada Kedavra in return! The Architect wants to do it right now but Joe is hesitant to return to the ring, preferring to back off.

Kevin Owens runs into an interview backstage. He snorts when he's asked about the Superstar Shake-Up, and says they can do what they want but the cream always rises to the top, just like how he beat Chris Jericho at WrestleMania. So why not ask Chris how it affects him?

Surely he'd relish the opportunity to have some success away from Owens, but you can't ask him, because he's at home recuperating from being powerbombed through the table. But the fact is, he's the US Champion, which makes him the face of America and number one on Raw.

And Ambrose can run around with the Intercontinental Championship acting all goofy and crazy, as long as he remembers his place and remembers that Owens is the man here, or he'll beat the hell out of him like he did to Chris Jericho. He reminds us that this is the Kevin Owens Show and takes his leave.

Charlotte Flair makes her entrance, she has a match against Nia Jax after the break.

Back from commercial in time for Nia to make her entrance.

Charlotte Flair vs. Nia Jax

Charlotte runs the ropes and lets a "Wooo!" out before going for the lockup. They struggle a moment but Jax drops her to the mat. Go-behind, waistlock from Flair but Nia breaks it and tosses her with a judo throw. Charlotte with kicks and knees, off the ropes and Jax runs her over like a freight train.

More kicks, shoulder neckbreaker, Nia fires back with a shoulderbreaker and a pair of elbow drops to the back for two. Half nelson choke on, wrenching, taking Flair down to the mat but she manages to straighten out for a counter stunner. Jax biels her across the ring and chokes her on the bottom rope for her trouble.

Looking for the Samoan drop but Charlotte slips away and throws chops. Nia clips her with a knee, Flair back in with kicks from the apron and a shoulder thrust but Jax scoops her up. Out of it, chop block, Natural Selection... NOT ENOUGH! Nia shoves her in the corner, charges, but nobody's home and shoulder meets post!

Charlotte hits the apron and squashes Jax into the ringpost, climbs up top... MOONSAULT KNEE DROP TO THE OUTSIDE! Referee John Cone counts but Nia makes it in the ring in time only to run into a big boot. Flair thinking figure four but Jax yanks her off and throws her into the turnbuckle. Body avalanche connects...

Nia Jax wins by pinfall with a Samoan drop.

Commentary tells us that Finn Balor is in action after the break, but first we get a video package for him.

Back from commercial, Finn makes his entrance.

Finn Balor vs. Jinder Mahal

Collar and elbow, Jinder forces Finn right against the ropes and scrapes his forearm across his face on the break. Sunset flip after some strikes but Balor pops off a dropkick into an armbar. Mahal forces him against the ropes again and connects with a boot this time before laying a series of knee stricks in and choking the former champion.

Covers come up one and Jinder locks a half nelson neck crank in. Finn to his feet, throwing elbows, strike rush but he runs straight into a forearm. Mahal looking for a hold but the Pele kick connects and knocks him to the mat. Sling blade follows it up, Balor lies in wait, shotgun dropkick! He heads up top...

Finn Balor wins by pinfall with Coup de Grace.

(Wyatt noise)

Bray is in the smoky room. He says wherever he goes, darkness finds him, and this is his new home. But he didn't come empty handed, no, he brings a special gift of Payback, because in three weeks, you'll be able to see him torture Randy Orton in his very own House of Horrors match.

He tells Finn Balor to watch himself, because he will certainly be watching. He tells Raw that he's here, and we go to break.

Back from commercial, commentary hypes up and recaps the Superstar Shake-Up to date, including Apollo Crews, Kalisto, and the team of Beauty and the Man-Beast (Heath Slater & Rhyno), not previously addressed on the show so far.

Sami Zayn vs. the Miz

Circling, collar and elbow, Sami grabs a hammerlock and Miz blasts him with an elbow to break. Off the ropes, springboard leapfrog to arm drags and Zayn clotheslines Miz out of the ring! Off the ropes for a dive but Miz yanks Maryse in front of him so Sami Arabian press moonsaults himself back in the ring and we go to break.

Back from commercial Miz has Sami in a rear chinlock but the underdog fights to his feet and goes for a Blue Thunder Driver. Miz flips out, standing switch on standing switch and finally he hits the backbreaker/neckbreaker combo. Setting Zayn up top but Sami throws elbows and forearms and knocks him down.

Jump over, but Miz catches him with the basement DDT... no dice! Miz doing the Yes! fingers and laying the Daniel Bryan chest kicks in but Sami ducks the buzzsaw and connects with the Blue Thunder Driver! Set up for the Helluva Kick but Maryse runs interference and Miz bails! Skull Crushing Finale hooked, but Zayn rolls...

Sami Zayn wins by pinfall with a victory roll pin.

Roman Reigns will be interviewed up next, after the break.

Back from commercial and we're told that Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens will be wrestling in a champion vs. champion match tonight.

Michael Cole introduces Roman Reigns for the interview. He asks if Roman feels responsibility or remorse over the speculation that the Undertaker is retired, and Reigns says honestly he felt a lot of things. It was the greatest victory of his career, but it was bittersweet.

He respects the Undertaker, no doubt and how do you prepare to retire a legend? It's been a crazy situation, but he's gotta do what he's gotta do and it is what it is. He's the Big Dog here and it's his yard now.

Braun Strowman attacks! He throws Roman into the wall and biels him through a table! Referees show up to try and back him off but he warns them if they get close they'll get the same. He throws Roman again and punts him in the ribs before tossing him into a garage door over and over.

Strowman hoists Roman up... RUNNING POWERSLAM ONTO A ROAD CASE! Ring crew and referees surround him but he's not backing off, and he sandwiches Reigns into the wall with another road case! That's it for the monster among men and he walks off as referee John Cone calls for EMTs.

The EMTs strap the Big Dog to a stretcher and get him prepared to leave when Braun commandeers the stretcher... HE THROWS ROMAN AND THE WHOLE APPARATUS OFF THE LOADING BAY!

Medical personnel straighten the stretcher up and wheel Roman to the ambulance... BUT BRAUN'S NOT DONE! HE'S THROWING PUNCHES IN THE AMBULANCE! HE SHUTS THE DOOR... HE'S TRYING TO TIP THE AMBULANCE! BRAUN STROWMAN JUST TIPPED A GODDAMN AMBULANCE OVER WITH ROMAN REIGNS IN IT!

OFF TO BREAK, FOLKS.

Back from commercial and we get a recap of the madness that just happened.

EMTs are loading Roman onto another stretcher and into another ambulance, which Braun does not tip over.

Elias Samson drifts on stage during entrances for our eight-man.

Cesaro, Sheamus, & the Hardy Boyz (Jeff & Matt Hardy) vs. Shining Stars (Epico & Primo) & the Club (Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows)

Matt Hardy and Primo to start, Matt gets a hip toss and tags Jeff in. Jeff with a diving axehandle, snapmare to a dropkick, arm wringer and Primo knees him into a tag from Cesaro. Anderson in, Sheamus tags in, Finlay Roll and Cesaro hits a double stomp.

Quick tags, Cesaro in again, charging uppercut, shoulder block from the Celtic Warrior, diving crossbody from the Swiss Superman! Calling for the swing, but Gallows yanks Karl out of the ring and we go to break.

Back from commercial and Luke has Cesaro in a reverse chinlock. Cesaro floats over into enemy territory and Machine Gun tags in to hit him with the back suplex neckbreaker, but Sheamus breaks the pin up. Primo clears Sheamus out with a lungblower and both sides are desperate for tags.

Epico and Matt Hardy in, punches and headbutts from his broken brilliance and he sends Epico's face into the turnbuckles over and over before hitting the lariat / bulldog combo. Side Effect for Primo, Epico hooked for the Twist of Fate but Gallows breaks it up. Jeff with a Twist of Fate on Big Hoot, Cesaro and Sheamus clothesline him outside for good measure.

Poetry in Motion to the outside, Matt hits a Twist of Fate on Epico, makes the tag...

Cesaro, Sheamus, & the Hardy Boyz win by pinfall with a Swanton Bomb from Jeff Hardy on Epico.

Matt throws a DELETE! out in their post-match celebration!

Commentary hypes up our winners and their tag title match at Payback.

Dana Brooke is backstage reading a book about how to be your own protege when Emma rolls up. She bids Dana go with her but Brooke doesn't want to go. Emma reminds her that they used to roll together and if it weren't for her Dana wouldn't be on Raw. So with Charlotte dumping her, she's here to pick up the pieces.

Dana's not having it, though, that was last year, and while she was off having an identity crisis, the entire women's division has gotten better, including her. She might not be the best, but she's making strides, paying her dues, and learning to stand on her own two feet.

So she's not going with Emma or anyone else, anymore. Emma has a chuckle as Dana walks off.

Bayley is walking backstage and we head to break.

Back from commercial and Sasha Banks makes her entrance.

She knows everybody's asking why she's out there, and she has some unfinished business. But first, she wants all the Huggers to rise and give it up for her best friend, "Just Bayley".

Enter Bayley. She thanks Sasha for the introduction but she has something to say. She thanks the crowd for being with her from her first day in NXT, to her WWE debut, and without us, the twelve-year-old that still lives in her heart wouldn't have had her WrestleMania moment and dream come true. So she thanks us for believing in her.

Banks says WrestleMania didn't go as she planned but she wants to congratulate her for the biggest moment in her career. But that moment is over, and she asks her...

Alexa Bliss is here! She says that was really heartfelt but asks them if they could be anymore nauseating. The only person that deserves any recognition here is her, because she's a two-time SmackDown Women's Championship. She's putting an end to this pathetic sad Sasha/Bayley sideshow and take over the Raw women's division.

She's so excited to put SmackDown behind her and focus on what she does best, which is winning, dominating, becoming a champion...

It's Mickie James! She says we won't believe who else has just arrived on Raw. Some may argue she's the greatest women's champion of all time, and the only six-time WWE Women's Champion. That's right, Mickie James is back on Raw, and Little Miss Bliss' drama is over? Her nightmare has just begun.

NIA JAX BLINDSIDES MICKIE! She gets in the ring and Alexa shoves Sasha towards her! Samoan drop on Bayley! Nia surveys the carnage she's created and shares a moment with Bliss on the ramp before heading all the way to the back.

Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens are walking backstage, their match is next, after the break.

Back from commercial, we get another recap of the immense beating Braun Strowman laid on Roman Reigns. As a preliminary report, Roman has suffered cracked ribs, internal injuries, and a potential separated shoulder.

Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens

Right in it, Owens throwing a kick and hammer blows, forcing Dean in the corner for body blows to boot. Ambrose turns it around on him and puts boots to him, whip reversed, up and over, kick to the gut, underhooks and KO bails. Dean follows and takes a knee to the midsection, whip reversed again, Kev eats barricade!

A second time, a straight right hand to the face, back in the ring, KO bails again immediately and Dean fires off a slingshot splash to take us to break.

Back from commercial and Owens is throwing punches to a grounded Ambrose. Dean clutches his jaw and heads for the ropes but KO whips him across. Lariat ducked, a clothesline connects and Ambrose throws mounted punches to follow. Charging forearm, Owens dodges a second and Dean eats the ringpost.

A stiff running knee traps Ambrose's head agains the post but is only good for two before he grabs a reverse chinlock. Taking Dean to the mat but the Intercontinental Champion is fighting him, trying to flop out of it, get some leverage, and he finally rolls to his stomach and stands.

Out with elbows, a headbutt, off the ropes but KO passes him over the ropes to the outside! Kev heads outside after him, fireman's carry, he tosses Dean rib-first into the ringpost. Ambrose strugging to get up as referee John Cone counts, he gets in at the last second and catches a Steenbreaker for two!

Running senton but Dean has the knees up, low bridge on a charge sends Owens outside and Ambrose launches a suicide dive! Back in the ring, kick to the gut, underhooks, KO slips out and they trade forearms, whip reversed, elbows, a swinging neckbreaker.

Dean charges in the corner, thinking bulldog, Owens sets him up for the cannonball but Ambrose ducks it and sets him on the top rope on his Jesus Zipper before knocking him down with a diving lariat for two! Dean up top but Kev bails... DIVING ELBOW DROP TO THE OUTSIDE!

Back in the ring, Ambrose climbs up top once more, ribs screaming, but he dives into a superkick and the package Flowsion for two! off the ropes, pop-up powerbomb but Dean counters with the Frankensteiner! Dirty Deeds blocked, pendulum lariat countered with a superkick, struggling...

Dean Ambrose wins by pinfall with Dirty Deeds.

Chris Jericho is here! Dean gives a cartoon shrug and bails, leaving him to it. Y2J charges the ring... Codebreaker!

Jericho poses as Michael Cole wonders who's going to SmackDown, and that's the show, folks.