WWE Raw Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from April 3

The Raw after WrestleMania is traditionally a wild, chaotic night of action that introduces the WWE Universe to new faces and gives them a hint at the feuds and stories that will dominate the brand in the foreseeable future.

Roman Reigns stared into the mouth of madness, standing in the center of a storm of jeers and furious anger from WWE fans, then defiantly reminded them the company is his yard now.

The Revival made their debut, laying waste to one of the most popular tag teams in all of WWE while The Hardy Boyz returned to the flagship show for the first time in seven years, successfully retaining their Raw Tag Team Championships against Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows.

Finn Balor returned, Kurt Angle was named the new Raw general manager and Brock Lesnar found himself confronted by a potential new challenger to his Universal Championship.

Relive the post-WrestleMania show with this recap, featuring grades, analysis and highlights from every one of the night's matches and segments.

Roman Reigns Addresses the WWE Universe

Never before had a Raw crowd unleashed such a venomous response on one Superstar as the fans in Orlando did Roman Reigns Monday night.

The Big Dog stood in the center of the ring and endured chants of numerous vulgar varieties just one night after defeating The Undertaker at WrestleMania 33.

After several minutes of loud jeers directed at him, Reigns spoke five words: "This is my yard now."

He dropped the mic and walked off, the hatred spewed by the WWE Universe louder and angrier than before.

Grade

A+

Analysis

Roman Reigns is WWE's top dog and its premier ass-kicker. As the fans in Orlando found out Monday night he does not give a damn if you like it or not.

Faced with the most negative reaction he has experienced yet, Reigns declared WWE his yard and walked away. There was no need for explanation, no pandering to the crowd. He did not care that he was surrounded by an audience that would rather have seen him obliterated by Brock Lesnar than see him standing triumphantly.

Reigns is a supreme badass, a Superstar who sees one mission: beat his opponent. Good guy, bad guy...it does not matter. Reigns will spear his way through them and to victory.

That is the sort of character fans have been begging for over the last 10 years.

The Hardy Boyz vs. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows

Fresh off dropping the Raw Tag Team Championships to The Hardy Boyz in a Fatal 4-Way Ladder Match at WrestleMania, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows hit the ring Monday night looking to avenge the loss and regain the titles.

Midway through the bout, it looked like they may be successful.

The former champions isolated Matt Hardy from his brother. A hot tag to Jeff, though, got momentum back on the side of the enormously popular tandem. The dynamic younger Hardy sibling exploded into the ring, unloading on both Anderson and Gallows.

The heels recaptured momentum briefly, delivering a Boot of Doom that failed to put Jeff away.

It was their last-gasp effort, as it turned out. Matt would deliver a Twist of Fate, Jeff followed up with a Swanton Bomb to win the match and notch their first successful title defense.

Result

The Hardy Boyz defeated Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows

Grade

B

Analysis

This was a great reintroduction to The Hardy Boyz for fans who either did not see their return at WrestleMania or are wholly unfamiliar with their act.

They looked fired up and motivated and it showed in the reaction fans gave back to them.

It can be argued that Anderson and Gallows should have been spared a clean victory but WWE Creative has never really seemed to be all-in on the former Club members so it is no great surprise that their misuse continued here. 

Cruiserweight Championship Match: Mustafa Ali vs. Neville

On the heels of an impressive victory over Austin Aries on the WrestleMania Kickoff Show, Neville squared off with the impressive young Mustafa Ali in a match that was more competitive than The King of the Cruiserweights could have expected.

The cruiserweight champion dominated the majority of the action but learned very quickly how resilient and gutsy a competitor Ali is. The relative newcomer to the national scene repeatedly kicked out of some of Neville’s most impressive offense, visibly frustrating the titleholder.

At one point, Ali scored a strong near-fall off a big DDT that had fans thinking “upset.” Neville dodged a 450 splash and teased Red Arrow. Rather than risking satisfying the fans, he dropped off the top rope and simply applied the Rings of Saturn for the submission victory.

Result

Neville defeated Mustafa Ali

Grade

C+

Analysis

The fans did not know who Mustafa Ali was, nor did they care about him, when he interrupted Neville's braggadocious pre-match promo but by the end of the contest, they did.

Ali made the most of his opportunity and turned in a fiery performance. One of the more underrated and underutilized talents on the 205 Live roster, he is a more-than-capable professional wrestler. Neville found out as much Monday night when he was pushed to the limit by the young star.

The King of the Cruiserweights retained his title in impressive fashion. While Austin Aries was nowhere to be found, the mention of his name by the champion suggests that rivalry will continue on. 

New Raw General Manager Announced

Vince McMahon made his return to Raw Monday night and wasted little time making two enormous announcements.

First, he revealed that next week, Raw and SmackDown Live will have a “Superstar shakeup.” He did not go into any details but seemed to suggest that there would be some shuffling of the rosters.

Next, he addressed the authority figure situation on Raw. With his daughter Stephanie sidelined following her bump through a table at WrestleMania, and Mick Foley fired as general manager, the boss needed to find a new GM to run the flagship show.

He announced it would be a 2017 Hall of Fame inductee. When Teddy Long appeared, McMahon broke the bad news: it was not him. He then proceeded to introduce Kurt Angle, who received a huge ovation.

Angle basked in the glory and announced it was true.

It was damn true.

Grade

A

Analysis

Raw is always at its most fun when it feels like something is happening. In one segment, Vince McMahon completely shook up the monotony that often encapsulates Raw, announcing a roster shuffling and the return of Angle to the role of general manager.

The 1996 Olympic gold medalist looked genuinely moved by the reaction he received from the fans, the smile on his face a mile wide.

It was a fun moment that should help to shape Raw for weeks, months even, to come.

The New Day vs. The Revival

Fresh off hosting WrestleMania 33, The New Day expressed their displeasure with not having a match on the monumental pay-per-view. Disappointed, they issued an open challenge to the locker room.

“Say yeah!” exploded over the PA system and The Revival (Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder) made their long-awaited debut on the main roster. The former two-time NXT tag team champions looked amped to be part of the show and set out to show a worldwide audience why they are “top guys” in the industry.

Late in the match, the cerebral Dawson avoided Big E’s spear through the ropes, leaving the heavyweight to crash and burn at ringside. Without his tag team partner available to him, Xavier Woods was forced to go it alone against one of the premier teams in professional wrestling.

Despite a spirited comeback attempt, Woods would fall victim to The Shatter Machine from the heels, who picked up their first win on the main roster by defeating the longest reigning tag team champions in WWE history.

After the match, the newcomers sent a message to the rest of the tag team division, pulling Kofi Kingston into the ring and injuring his left ankle.

Result

The Revival defeated The New Day

Grade

A

Analysis

The Revival has been the best team in professional wrestling for the last year. Debuting them on the same night The Hardy Boyz successfully retain their tag team titles sends a message to the audience that tag team wrestling is about to become a major staple of the flagship show.

Putting Wilder and Dawson over the established New Day not only lends them credibility right out of the gate, it sets them up for a tag team title opportunity sooner rather than later.

A spectacular start to the main roster careers of The Top Guys.

Bayley, Sasha Banks and Dana Brooke vs. Charlotte, Nia Jax and Emma

Emma returned to Raw Monday night, joining Charlotte and Nia Jax for a huge Six-Woman Tag Team match against Raw women's champion Bayley, Sasha Banks and Dana Brooke.

Late in the match, the action broke down, complete with Bayley sailing through the air and onto Result Jax at ringside. Back inside the squared circle, Charlotte attempted Natural Selection but Banks countered into The Bank Statement.

With nowhere to go and no one to save her, Charlotte had no choice but to tap out, suffering her second defeat in as many nights.

After the bout, a frustrated second-generation competitor berated Jax. Not the helpless victim Brooke was during her time with Charlotte, Jax stuck out. She attacked Charlotte and left her lying unconscious in the center of the ring following a massive elbow drop.

Fans cheered for what appeared to be a babyface turn of sorts.

Result

Sasha Banks, Bayley and Dana Brooke defeated Charlotte, Nia Jax and Emma

Grade

B

Analysis

Anyone hoping Emma's return would suddenly lead to her leapfrogging to the top of the women's division can quit now because the Aussie Superstar returned Monday and was treated as an also-ran. She played third fiddle to both Charlotte and Jax, who demanded the attention of the audience.

Banks scoring the deciding fall on Charlotte was a nice touch in that it helps her recover from Sunday's disappointing showing and helps build her for her impending showdown with Bayley.

Charlotte, on the other hand, looks poised to work with Jax in the coming weeks. That may not be a bad thing considering it is a fresh match and more importantly, Charlotte could provide Jax with the knowledge necessary to become a legitimate force in the women's division.

Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman's Universal Championship Promo

New universal champion Brock Lesnar and advocate Paul Heyman hit the ring for the first address of the WWE Universe since The Beast Incarnate's victory Sunday night at WrestleMania.

Heyman teased a few potential No. 1 contenders before bringing up the “two in 23 and 2,” obviously referencing Roman Reigns.

The mouthpiece for Lesnar asked why they would wait for another night when he and his client could settle their differences right there in the center of the squared circle.

Before the former ECW owner could continue, “BRAUN” sounded over the PA system and Braun Strowman made his way to the ring. They engaged in a tense staredown, with Lesnar laying the belt out right in front of him for the massive former Wyatt Family member to try and take.

Strowman told Lesnar they would do things on his time before exiting the squared circle.

Grade

C+

Analysis

Braun Strowman is an intriguing first challenger to Lesnar if that is the direction WWE Creative opts to take. The big man is physically imposing and at least looks the part when it comes to stepping up to The Beast Incarnate.

More telling of Creative's plans, though, was Heyman planting the seeds for Reigns vs. Lesnar two. Their first bout at WrestleMania 3 was never settled as Seth Rollins appeared and cashed in Money in the Bank.

Now both men having defeated The Undertaker at WrestleMania will have the opportunity to slowly build to a championship encounter or blow it off as soon at Payback if management so desires.

No. 1 Contender's Match: Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. Sheamus and Cesaro

Sheamus and Cesaro recovered from a nasty Swanton Bomb spot during WrestleMania's Fatal 4-Way Ladder Match to battle Enzo Amore and Big Cass in a No. 1 Contender's Match Monday night on Raw.

Late in the match, the action broke down, as most tag matches in WWE do these days.

Amore and Cass were set up for their Rocket Launcher finisher when Sheamus broke it up. He shoved Amore off the top rope and into Cesaro's uppercut, which scored the former champions the win and an opportunity to challenge The Hardy Boyz for the tag team gold at some point soon.

Result

Cesaro and Sheamus defeated Enzo Amore and Big Cass

Grade

C+

Analysis

Sheamus and Cesaro will probably have extraordinary matches with The Hardy Boyz but one cannot help but think that, after all this time, Sheamus and Cesaro have to have something more important for them to do somewhere else on the card.

Their team has been wildly entertaining in recent months but their full potential as singles characters goes unnoticed with every passing week.

Poor Enzo and Cass are probably in store for the roster reshuffling and a trip to SmackDown Live, where they can move up the ladder uninterrupted.

Sami Zayn vs. Jinder Mahal

In a match set up during a backstage argument in Kurt Angle's office, Sami Zayn battled Jinder Mahal.

Mahal attacked before the bell and dominated the majority of the bout.

Zayn fought back, as he always does, hit his signature offense and finished Mahal off with The Helluva Kick for the win.

Result

Sami Zayn defeated Jinder Mahal

Grade

C-

Analysis

This was a match that happened.

Neither Mahal or Zayn looks better, regardless of the outcome.

Zayn has been mishandled and treated like a loser for so long that wins like this mean nothing. Wins will continue to mean nothing until they happen in matches perceived by the audience to be significant.

Mahal is an enhancement talent. A talented enhancement talent, but nothing more. 

Seth Rollins and Finn Balor vs. Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe

Credit: WWE.com

Earlier in the show, Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe attacked Chris Jericho, leaving him lying and forcing Kurt Angle to come up with a new tag team partner for Seth Rollins.

Enter Finn Balor, who made his return to television Monday night after months on the sideline.

The leader of the Balor Club watched from the apron for most of the match as Owens and Joe systematically picked Rollins' injured knee apart.

The hot tag late saw the former universal and NXT champion deliver a Sling Blade to Kevin Owens, withstand a Coquina Clutch attempt from Samoa Joe before Rollins made the save and deliver the Coup De Grace to the United States champion Owens to win the match.

Balor and Rollins wearily confronted each other after the match before the latter raised his partner's arm in victory.

Result

Finn Balor and Seth Rollins defeated Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe

Grade

B+

Analysis

It was awesome to see Finn Balor back in the squared circle. A dynamic, charismatic worker whose athleticism is impeccable and whose ring presence is enormous despite his small stature, he electrified the audience Monday night en route to a victory. 

It should be interesting to see where this story leads as Balor combatting Owens and Joe would seem to put him in the crosshairs of The Authority. Will Balor interact with Triple H in the near future or will his issues feature Owens, who does not have an obvious feud once the differences with Jericho conclude?