RAW In A Nutshell: What Comes After WrestleMania?

It’s a special RAW In A Nutshell this week, with one major question to be answered. What comes after WrestleMania?

The answer, of course, is the biggest RAW of the year.

It has become an event unto itself. Nearly a PPV, if we could call it that.

We can’t, because WWE doesn’t use that term anymore…but I digress.

It is not a premium live event…but it always aims to deliver some big surprises.

Perhaps a few returns? Maybe a major turn?

Some new programs will be kicked off…and some unfinished business will still linger.

We will get to hear from Cody Rhodes, for the first time on RAW in quite some time.

RAW has a new champion…same one as SmackDown, as Roman Reigns conquered the Beast on Sunday.

So, now that the biggest weekend for WWE has come and gone….what comes after WrestleMania?

Let us find out…because it is time for…

RAW In A Nutshell: What Comes After WrestleMania?

Let’s crack open this Nutshell and find out!

Best Match of the night:

No match.

I will, however, take Cody’s opening segment.

Worst match of the night:

The Liv+Rhea match against Sasha and Naomi just felt off.

And, honestly, it felt like we were heading to a split. It makes sense, considering there are rumors of Ripley joining Edge’s young and growing faction.

However…IF she is turning, it won’t be happening until next week, as she secured a tag title match…even though they lost this week.

Crowd Chants of the Night:

Cody

Welcome back

You deserve it

You got stunned

Star of the Night

For me…it was Cody.

I didn’t do Nutshells for ‘Mania, so some of this is making up for that.

However, it was an emotional return for Rhodes, and you could see it.

After six years away, after some harsh comments in the heat of battle, he returned home, said what he needed to say, and is on a path toward the world championship.

Spot of the Night:

Montez Ford. Frog splash…through a table!

CHAD TABLE@WWEGable is the table now thanks to @MontezFordWWE!#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/QM2rU868re

— WWE (@WWE) April 5, 2022

Not as slick as the top rope RKO by Riddle a night earlier…but it was the best.

Jobber of the Night:

No one tonight. Well, maybe Lashley for taking a beating?

Upset of the Night:

And here’s Lashley again. I kind of dig him as a face, not going to lie.

He will be upset…but Omos and MVP will bear the brunt of that.

Holy Sh** Moment of the Night:

I figured we’d see a turn…and we did.

MVP brought Lashley down, talking about how he beat Omos without him…in a good way.

Omos came down insisting on his rematch. And then MVP attacked Lashley.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!?!?!?!?@The305MVP just turned on @fightbobby on #WWERaw after #WrestleMania! pic.twitter.com/yJVUirrXZ3

— WWE (@WWE) April 5, 2022

So…MVP ditched Lashley for Omos.

Omos needs a lot of help. MVP is a start…

Also, we were promised we’d finally re-see Veer.

We did indeed. Rey and Dom probably wish they had not…

Oh come on, @VeerMahaan!#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/fHSBSrtPFy

— WWE (@WWE) April 5, 2022

Botch of the night:

Elias has not been seen on WWE television in quite some time.

We had been told a repackaging was coming. It came tonight.

Kevin Owens called him Elias, but he is now going by Ezekiel.

New trunks, no great beard…weak re-debut.

And…another show, a different announcer, but once again, someone says Roman is “like his shirt says”…and then says  “greatness on another level”.

Ooops.

LOL Moment of the night:

Nothing much to laugh at tonight. Totally fine with that.

Even though I do miss those old RAWs after WrestleMania that saw all that beach ball fun…

Noteworthy Moment:

Bron Breakker regained the NXT Championship on RAW. Interesting to do it on RAW, not at Stand & Deliver or on typical NXT television.

Holy cow the shiner on Bianca Belair. Surprised we didn’t get a returning someone (Asuka? Bayley?) to interrupt her, however.

Cody cleared some of the air, and made it clear he wants what his father never held-the world championship.

While he’s done well to not disparage his former employer and co-workers, his comments on RAW were interesting.

As he put it, the decision to come back was easy. Sure, it could just be talk for a good promo…but he was a free agent, and now he’s back as a WWE Superstar…

Overall lowlights:

As far as what comes after WrestleMania…usually it’s pretty exciting.

This one? Not so much.

We got a confusing and uneventful return for Elias. Bron Breakker won back his title.

There was an MVP turn.

And not much else. No NXT graduations, no other big Superstar returns.

I came into tonight with high hopes, being the first RAW after WrestleMania that was live in front of a fully sold out arena since 2019.

This one…did disappoint.

Overall highlights:

Cody was excellent. I liked Seth Rollins interrupting, but only to effectively say “welcome home” and to shake Cody’s hand.

Easy to see those two tangling up again. Depending on what RAW does with their lack of champion…it would not be hard to imagine a title match between them at some point.

Nice to see Elias back, even if they did screw him up.

After the final bell:

What comes after WrestleMania? A busy RAW filled with returns, title changes, heel turns and more.

Usually.

This year’s RAW…when we ask : what comes after WrestleMania?

The answer is…not much.

Some good action, sure.

We saw Veer debut…we got an MVP turn…Cody’s return…Elias’s “younger brother” is now on RAW.

But, when we had Roman Reigns set for the final segment, it felt like we’d have someone big show up…lay down a new challenge or something.

Instead, it was “acknowledge me” and “tune into SmackDown to see what happens next”.

Now, perhaps the SmackDown after WrestleMania might prove to be more interesting…but it didn’t have to be at the expense of RAW.