The final episode of WWE RAW for WrestleMania XL went down live at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. Superstars featured on the show included The Rock, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, and Rhea Ripley.
RAW did a terrific job continuing the momentum just days before the biggest show of the year. Of course, there were some underwhelming moments. So without any more delay, let’s take a look at the biggest hits at misses from the April 1, 2024, episode of WWE RAW.
Miss – Solo Sikoa steps up to Seth Rollins
WWE spent months building up Solo Sikoa as a major player. The former Street Champion took on some of the biggest babyfaces on the roster. That being said, the monstrous booking might’ve done Solo more harm than good. One can trace the origins of his downfall to the moment he went over John Cena at Crown Jewel 2023.
The Enforcer of The Bloodline stepped up to Seth Rollins on WWE RAW this week. The challenge was originally meant for The Rock. The crowd were clearly upset at not getting Rollins versus Rocky or even Rocky versus Rollins. WWE should’ve pulled a swerve like they did with Brock Lesnar on the RAW following WrestleMania 39.
Of course, neither The Rock nor Reigns weren’t going to fight before WrestleMania XL. Either man could’ve just laced his boots to tease a showdown against Seth Rollins and proceed with the chaos that closed the show this week.
Hit – Gunther destroys his competition
Sami Zayn took on Bronson Reed on the final episode of WWE RAW before WrestleMania XL. Gunther dragged a destroyed Chad Gable to the ring to cause a distraction. Sami couldn’t focus on the match and rushed to the outside to attend to his friend and coach.
Gunther showed up again and took out Sami with a series of brutal chops and big boots. The Ring General put away his WrestleMania 40 opponent by hitting him with the title belt. I’m loving how Gunther is still very much indestructible heading into his title match.
Miss – Injury scare on WWE RAW
DIY and The New Day teamed up against The Judgment Day on WWE RAW this week. All four babyfaces attacked the heels before they could complete their introduction. Gargano attempted a suicide dive. However, it seems he miscalculated the distance and collided head-first with the mat while taking out Dominik Mysterio.
The injury scare prompted quite the reaction on social media. Thankfully, Johnny Wrestling is doing okay after the nasty dive. I know it was a usual Monday for everybody inside the ring but that spot could’ve been prevented just days before WrestleMania 40. Safety needs to be the top priority for everybody.
With that said, I expect the ladder match to tear the house down at WrestleMania.
Hit – Drew McIntyre prepares for a burial
Drew McIntyre may be CM Punk’s worst nightmare. The Scottish Warrior appeared in a cinematic promo on WWE RAW this week. The cameras showed McIntyre standing next to a coffin before he faced the screen to show his villainous smile.
McIntyre proceeded to bury both CM Punk and Seth Rollins in his promo. I’ve said this before and I’ll say this again. Rollins seems like the third act in this whole three-way feud. Can’t wait to see the match this Sunday.
Miss – Dominik Mysterio plays darts with Legado World Order
I like how they are teasing Dominik as the one to eventually cause The Judgment Day’s split. However, I must say I wasn’t a fan of how JD’s interaction with Legado World Order played out on WWE RAW this week.
For those unware, LWO ran into The Judgment Day in their locker room. Turns out, the trifecta were invited by Dominik himself much to the annoyance of Damian Priest. Dom tried to break the ice by asking Santos to play darts with him.
I thought the ending to the segment was weak. They could’ve just ended the segment with Dom mediating between the two factions instead of completely ignoring his friends to play darts with Escobar.
Hit – The Bloodline stalls tall before WrestleMania XL
Seth Rollins and Solo Sikoa headlined RAW in a Bloodline Rules match. An injured Cody Rhodes showed up to help his WrestleMania partner fend off The Bloodline. The Rock did a great job selling the American Nightmare’s offense. The man can still make anyone look like a million bucks inside the ring.
Cody had The Rock in position for a Rock Bottom through the announce table. However, Roman Reigns saved his cousin in the nick of time. Somebody is getting through the table during the tag team main event this Saturday. Anyways, Rocky and Reigns took turns beating their opponents with the belts.
The Final Boss and the Tribal Chief wanted to send a message. They did. The show ended with The Bloodline standing tall over Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. I think The Bloodline goes over on night 1 to set up the Bloodline Rules match for night two. Let’s see what happens on SmackDown this Friday.
Also read: WWE SmackDown Hits And Misses (3/29/24)
