Joe Reigns

Notes from the first Superstar shakeup Raw show on 4/16 from Hartford. The show was built around the roster changes more than anything. They drew 7,500 fans, so for a Northeast show, it does indicate a post-Mania lull. For Main Event, Karl Anderson pinned Hawkins to keep his losing streak going. Lince Dorado & Gran Metalik beat TJP & Ariya Daivari. Raw opened with Angle out. Sunil Singh then announced Mahal. The crowd booed him heavily, enough that he came across like a real star. Mahal said his being there secured Raw as the A show, but he’s mad that Angle brought him to the show in an SUV, because he only travels in a limo with a motorcade. Angle said that he never agreed to a limo. Mahal said that he was better than anyone on Smackdown and now he’s better than anyone on Raw. He said that he expects the same perks that Lesnar gets. Angle told him that if he thinks he’s better than anyone else, to prove it. He told Mahal to defend the title right now and invited anyone to come out and go after the U.S. title. Jeff Hardy came out.

. Reigns came out and was booed heavily. He was noticeably smaller, which probably means he was banged up so badly in the Mania match that he couldn’t do any lifting. It really felt like if Reigns does win, that they missed the boat timing wise and this will be so anticlimactic. And the people aren’t going to accept him. I really felt like he needed to run. Reigns talked about winning the title in cage match, but it came off badly because they did nothing in the Mania match to set up a cage match and Lesnar won clean, without any running away during the match or any outside interference, so there’s no storyline reason for a rematch or a cage match. That only makes it worse if Reigns wins because it comes across like he was given another shot he didn’t deserve. Joe came out and did Lesnar’s promo for him. He said that Reigns didn’t get the job done at Mania, and he never will. He said not once, not twice, but every time he stepped into the ring with Lesnar, he failed. Reigns said that is what Lesnar did, but challenged Joe to get his lazy fat ass down to the ring. Joe went to the ring, then backed off. Then he went back, and backed off again and said he would see Reigns on his own time at Backlash. Natalya beat Rose in 2:48 with the sharpshooter. Natalya was the clear babyface here. Deville jumped Natalya after the match. Rousey walked down to the ring rather than ran, for the save. Rose & Deville at first left. But Deville got back in the ring to challenge Rousey.