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WWE Raw Results: News And Notes After Sami Zayn Replaces Braun Strowman In Money In The Bank Match

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Sami Zayn defeated Braun Strowman in the Raw main event with outside help.

Credit: WWE.com

WWE Raw aired a pre-taped show from the O2 Arena in London. Becky Lynch's double contract signing ended with both challengers Lacey Evans and Charlotte putting her through the table while Sami Zayn defeated Braun Strowman for the right to replace him in Sunday's Money in the Bank match.

WWE's viewership ticked up slightly to just barely avoid record lows, but its continued emphasis on temporary fixes, not to mention a pre-taped show, will only hurt its cause going forward.

WWE Raw Viewership—Last Five Weeks
Air Date WWE Raw Viewership 
May 6, 2019 2.224 million viewers
April 29, 2019 2.158 million viewers
April 22, 2019 2.374 million viewers
April 15, 2019 2.665 million viewers
April 8, 2019 2.923 million viewers

WWE Raw Key Competition: 

  • The Bachelorette

From the Forbes WWE Vault:

WWE Total YouTube Viewership for Raw Last Monday: 13,463,424 views (Up from 10,608,553 views)

  • Most-Viewed: Samoa Joe Meets Rey Mysterio's Son (2,170,701 views) 
  • Least-Viewed: Lucha House Party Dazzle Against Local Competitors (114,563 views)
  • Median Viewership: 609,011

Estimated Attendance for "A City": 9,235

Average WWE Raw Ticket Price at the O2 Arena$39

Estimated Live Gate for WWE Raw: $360,165

WWE Raw: Monday, May 13, 2019

Opening Segment Featuring MizTV with Roman Reigns, Shane McMahon, Bobby Lashley and Elias 

The Miz and Shane continued their rivalry to kick off Raw.

Credit: WWE.com

No matter how bad these numbers get, I don't think we'll ever live in a world where the opening segment of Raw isn't one promo interruption after another.

While The Miz was cutting his promo, Roman Reigns gave him an adoring, almost envious, stare.

Tonight's otherwise underwhelming tag team match coming out of this segment means the reprisal of Roman Reigns vs. Bobby Lashley, an underrated feud from 2018 filled with surprising chemistry both in the ring and on the mic.

Roman Reigns and The Miz def. Bobby Lashley and Elias via Disqualification 

Shane McMahon and The Miz have had the most consistent feud in WWE for months now, and it's not even close. Think about that for a second.

By not making this match a three on two, or at least having some stipulation where Shane McMahon couldn't interfere, this was the least-climactic match of 2019, spoilers or not.

Mojo Rawley def. Apollo Crews

Mojo Rawley will have to work tirelessly before I even begin to take him seriously as he reboots Luna Vachon.

It's good to see Mojo Rawley has moved on after the 2006 divorce from Gangrel.

Congrats on the win, Mojo, see you in a month when WWE has its monthly "oh, that's right, he's still here" moment.

Double Contract Signing Featuring Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch and Lacey Evans 

Becky Lynch will defend both the Raw and SmackDown Women's Championships at Money in the Bank.

Credit: WWE.com

Becky Lynch could have revealed her relationship with Seth Rollins by signing "Burn it Down" on the dotted line.

In addition to working multiple matches at pay-per-views, another possible obstacle for Becky Two Belts is arthritis from multiple contract signings.

If the Money in the Bank Winner stays in the locker room should Becky Lynch defend her championship in back-to-back matches, they should get the Ken Kennedy treatment.

Seeing two blonde white women receive world title shots is apropos for a Money in the Bank pay-per-view.

This segment seemed heavily edited. The live results indicated fans were quite unruly while the heels were speaking in .all the wrong ways.

Baron Corbin def. Ricochet 

There has never been a match in WWE history that will make the mute button on Twitter more necessary than this one.

Baron Corbin has the right demographics and heel bona fides to become a two-time Money in the Bank winner.

Nikki Cross def. Dana Brooke, Naomi and Natalya

Nikki Cross was victorious in a Fatal 4-Way on Raw.

Credit: WWE.com

Nikki Cross appears to be in the early stages of a more docile character, perhaps one that will lead a stable called the "Quiett Squad."

Given Alexa Bliss' injury history, Nikki Cross replacing her in this match makes me nervous. Should she replace Bliss in the Money in the Bank match, she'd make a strong candidate to win the briefcase—and possibly the Raw women's Championship—Sunday night.

Rey Mysterio def. Cesaro 

In Rey Mysterio's defense, WWE recently had a "Bring Your Kid to Work Day," so maybe nobody told Rey Mysterio it was just a one-day thing.

Cesaro asked if Domnick is really Rey Mysterio's son, which means somebody isn't up to speed on their WWE canon.

John Cone is a WWE referee and his son won the WWE Raw Tag Team Championships when he was 10. Rey Mysterio is a Hall of Fame-caliber wrestler and all his son seems to do is get him into feuds for his honor. Sounds like an underachiever to me.

How many takes did it take The Revival to cut that promo without breaking down in tears midway through?

Bry Wyatt's Firefly Fun House, Week 4

It looks like Bray Wyatt is pulling off his new ring gear better than Alexander Wolfe ever could.

Fans in London more than approved of the latest Firefly Funhouse, which is a great litmus test to pass in WWE.

Sami Zayn def. Braun Strowman, Replaces him in Money in the Bank Match 

Sami Zayn will compete in the men's Money in the Bank match on Sunday.

Credit: WWE.com

I was convinced Sami was going to lose this match, thereby defining him down as midcard comedy. But Sami Zayn doing these rants with a Money in the Bank briefcase in hand will force everyone to take this gimmick seriously, as they should.

WWE is still protecting Braun Strowman in defeat, but his defeats are not as few and far between as they used to be especially with the Bodybuilding Bigot emerging. If anybody would benefit from the unlikely event of Lars Sullivan getting fired for his posts, it would be Strowman.

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