RAW 1298: April 9, 2018

Always one of the most outrageous nights on WWE's calendar, the #RawAfterMania saw Ronda Rousey's wrath, shocking returns, NXT arrivals and huge buzz over next week's WWE Superstar Shake-up.

## Ronda Rousey attacks Stephanie McMahon

Having been duly humbled and arm-barred into submission by Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania, Raw Commissioner Stephanie McMahon arrived on Raw with her arm in a brace and an olive branch in hand for The Baddest Woman on the Planet as they move their relationship into the future. But the only thing the future holds, apparently, is more armbars.

Awash in a sea of “You tapped out!” chants from the #RawAfterMania crowd, Stephanie attempted to recast her tapout as a triumph, proclaimed that it was her crossover performance that motivated Rousey to become the best version of herself and offered to put the full weight of the WWE machine behind Rousey to move forward as allies.

Rousey didn’t seem to mind the offer; she even embraced Stephanie with a smile on her face. But as soon as they broke, the smile faded, Ronda rolled Stephanie onto the mat, tore off her elbow brace and put her in another armbar. Stephanie may have thought she’d signed her newest golden goose, but given that WWE medical officials had to escort her behind the curtain, it’s looking more and more like she might have her own “Stone Cold” Steve Austin instead — for better and for worse.

## Alexa Bliss & Mickie James vs. Ember Moon & Nia Jax

Now that Nia Jax has come into her own as a confident champion, anyone looking to knock her off her perch will have their work cut out for them… especially since she already has a friend at her side.

Former NXT Women’s Champion Ember Moon made her exhilarating Raw debut as Jax’s impromptu partner against Mickie James and deposed former titleholder Alexa Bliss, who attempted to re-cast Jax as a bully who only won the title at WrestleMania because her pre-match attack on James left Bliss in “emotional distress.” Clearly, Ember wasn’t buying it: The War Goddess looked pleased as punch to enter the fray once Jax tagged her in, and Moon didn’t hesitate to administer her astonishing Eclipse maneuver to Bliss to claim the victory for her squad.

Rumors are floating that Alexa and Mickie have lobbied to be sent to SmackDown LIVE in the upcoming Superstar Shake-up in the wake of WrestleMania. It might be the best thing for them: The Raw Women's Title is looking to be a more unattainable prize than ever for The Goddess, and her list of enemies has already grown by one.

## Mandy Rose vs. Sasha Banks; Paige announces her in-ring retirement

Four years ago, Paige made her debut in New Orleans and won the Divas Championship in her first match on Raw after WrestleMania 30. The Raw after WrestleMania 34 saw her return with a very different bit of business on her mind.

But first, her Absolution crew notched a big win over Sasha Banks, thanks to the fraying relationship between The Boss and Bayley that continued to weigh them both down. Bayley reared her head at a few crucial junctures of Banks’ battle with Mandy Rose of Absolution, stealing her spotlight by making her entrance seconds before the bell and inadvertently cold-cocking The Boss on the outside of the ring after Mandy provoked Bayley into taking a swing. The argument led to a flustered Sasha walking straight into a leaping knee from Rose that won the match, but a chagrined-looking Bayley made her exit before any more damage could be done. (They'll get a chance to settle the score in earnest next week on Raw.)

The moment was a bittersweet one for Absolution, however: Paige took center stage after the match and announced that, due to injuries, she would no longer be able to perform as an in-ring competitor. In the same arena where she made her Raw debut four years earlier and with the WWE Universe showering her in thanks, the former Divas Champion offered gratitude to the rest of the female Superstars, as well as Daniel Bryan (whose return from a neck injury gave her hope) and Edge (who showed her there was life outside WWE). She departed by leaving her T-shirt in the ring, though not before offering one final message to the WWE Universe: “This will always be my house.”

## Bray Wyatt & Matt Hardy vs. Titus Worldwide

Last night, Bray Wyatt rose from The Lake of Reincarnation to help “Woken” Matt Hardy win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, signifying the beginning of a wonderful new partnership. On Raw, the two former rivals made it official, teaming up for the first time and notching a Tag Team Eliminator victory that doubled as the start of their “Expedition of Gold.”

With Wyatt “rid of the succubus known as Sister Abigail” and Hardy bolstered by the presence of Humungous Wonder Number Eight, they were near-flawless against Titus Worldwide, despite having never competed together. The Eater of Worlds seemed to have picked up a few of Hardy’s mannerisms as well — he decreed Apollo’s athletics to be “Wonderful!” — but Wyatt still relied on his punishing power moves to take the wind out of Apollo’s sails. A Sister Abigail-Twist of Fate combo landed Hardy & Wyatt a victory, The Expedition of Gold is officially a go, and The Revival await in the distance.

## Results

* Raw Women’s Champion Nia Jax & Ember Moon def. Alexa Bliss & ickie James
* Mandy Rose def. Sasha Banks; Paige announced her in-ring retirement
* “Woken” Matt Hardy & Bray Wyatt def. Titus Worldwide (w/ Dana Brooke in a Tag Team Eliminator Match