Raw Deal - Raw recap for April 18, 2022

Seth "Freakin'" Rollins heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Rollins welcomes everyone to the show, then says tonight is a party and nobody wants to party alone, so he extends an invitation to "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes. Cody shows up, then Rollins asks him how it feels to be on top of the world. Cody says this feels familiar, as they have been in the ring together in Buffalo, New York, and Buffalo is "Rhodes Country." Rollins says he has had a lot on his mind since WrestleMania and that this is about respect, but as Rollins tries to speak, Cody keeps getting cheers from the crowd. Rollins tells Cody he was going to mention how much respect he had for him and his family name, then reminds him that the hard work he put in is nothing, because he made Cody into a star in one night. Cody tells Rollins to dispense with the pleasantries and get to the point, and Rollins tells Cody that at WrestleMania, he had "an unfair advantage" as Vince McMahon's surprise opponent, which gave him no time to prepare, causing him to lose. Rollins calls this a tough pill to swallow, and calls it tougher that fans take this as a sign that Cody is tougher than him and says he cannot live with that, for he is better than Cody Rhodes in every single possible way. He says that Cody may be the flavor of the month, but he is not the flavor of the industry and he talks the talk, walks the walk, and dresses better than him, and he has been to the mountaintop that Cody aspires to reach, making him better than Cody. Cody tells Rollins that he has been to the mountaintop four times compared to his zero, but nothing Rollins says can change what happened at WrestleMania. He then proposes they ask the fans if he is better than Rollins, to which the fans agree. Rollins tells Cody it is not that easy and proposes putting the shoe on the other foot, with Cody taking on an opponent hand-picked by him. Cody tells Rollins he and the fans know the answer and that he did not come back to run from challenges, then accepts.

Naomi and Sasha Banks retain the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships against Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan. After the match, Rhea gets frustrated with Liv and blames her for their loss, then attacks Liv from behind when she tries to leave the ring. Rhea then hits Liv Morgan with the Riptide.

Backstage, Sarah Schreiber interviews Rhea Ripley, who says nobody is entitled to an explanation as to why she attacked Liv Morgan.

WWE official Sonya Deville heads to the ring. Sonya says that as of late, she has heard chatter throughout WWE that she is misusing her power by making herself Bianca Belair's first title defense, then says she is a competitor and that she was forced to be an official until she could go back to being a Superstar. She says she made the most of her opportunity, and when she found a window of opportunity, she took it, because she knew she wanted to be in the ring with the best and she wanted to win the Raw Women's title off the best and nothing less. Sonya then says the fans can continue to scrutinize her, then says Bianca Belair wanted a competitor and gave her one, and that it is nothing personal and just business. Suddenly, Bianca Belair shows up. Sonya tells Bianca not to lay a hand on her or else there will be repercussions, but Bianca says they can have their match right now. Sonya says she did not wait three years to have this match in a "rusted out suburb," then says their match will happen next week. She says that next week, they will be in Bianca's hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee where her family and friends are used to seeing her lose her title quickly. Bianca gets Sonya up for the K.O.D., then throws her down without slamming her.

Veer Mahaan beats Jeff Brooks with the cervical clutch. (Jeff Brooks is James Alexander, who has competed on WWE before under the name "Jeff Brooks" and "Justin Alexander.") After the match, Veer Mahaan puts the cervical clutch back on Jeff Brooks until multiple referees and officials get him to stop.

Backstage, Sonya Deville meets with Adam Pearce, who tells her to worry about her repercussions and that an official investigation, even though Bianca Belair has been fined. Bianca Belair then shows up to pay her fine: one dollar.

Jeff Brooks is taken out on a stretcher backstage.

It's time for The KO Show. Tonight's guest is Ezekiel. Kevin Owens - who has Chad Gable running a lie detector test a the table - says that Ezekiel is Elias and will be exposed as the fraud as he is and beaten in a match against Gable. Gable thanks Owens for bringing him back to the show and says he will remain objective as he gets the truth, and if he does not get it, he will beat the truth out of Ezekiel in a match.Ezekiel shows up, then asks the fans if they want to "hear Zeke speak." Owens and Gable then start the lie detector test. Gable asks Ezekiel some control questions, and Owens tells Gable to control himself when he asks about Gable Stevenson, saying he is paying him $150 Canadian. When asked if his real name is Ezekiel, Ezekiel says "Yes." Gable says that Ezekiel is telling the truth.When asked if Elias is his older brother, Ezekiel says "Yes." Gable determines Ezekiel is telling the truth, then Kevin Owens asks Ezekiel if his real name is Elias. Ezekiel says "No," telling the truth further. Kevin Owens kicks Chad Gable out of the ring, then Ezekiel tells Kevin Owens that he is tired of being called a liar by the biggest liar in the WWE and he is having his first WWE match right here, right now. Owens is convinced that Ezekiel is lying and tells him to admit that he is Elias or else. Ezekiel says "Or else what?" Owens leaves the ring again, and Gable attacks Ezekiel from behind.

Ezekiel beats Chad Gable by disqualification after Otis pounces on him as he has Gable in a single leg crab.

The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) beat RK-Bro (Randy Orton and Matt Riddle). Before the match begins, The Usos' (Jimmy and Jey Uso) music plays, and after the match, Montez Ford says that The Usos are not the only tag team to worry about.

We hear from Edge and Damian Priest. Edge says last week was just mind games and that the seeds were planted when he was in The Brood, and that the seeds will be watered by their opponents' tears. He says that he and Priest have not lived up to their potential and have not lived up to their abilities. Edge says that if it were not for Priest, Bad Bunny would have been smeared across the canvas, and says that he decided not to care what the fans think. Edge says he is here to take back his position at the top of the business and that "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles stands in his way, and since he and Priest did not get their point across, he is challenging Styles to a match at WrestleMania Backlash. He says he does not care if their verdict is far and that he and Priest have decided to seize the day, then proclaims it is Styles' judgment day.

Backstage, Sarah Schreiber interviews "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles. Styles says that he accepts Edge's challenge, then the lights start flickering until they go out. When they come back on, they are a purple hue, and Edge and Damian Priest attack him before slamming the lid of a storage box on Styles' left arm.

We see a vignette for Theory.

Theory beats Finn Balor with the A-Town Down after Finn Balor misses the Coup de Grace to become the WWE United States Champion! After the match, the heels of the locker room celebrate with Theory in the ring. Afterwards, Vince McMahon shows up and celebrates with Theory on the stage, and the two of them take a selfie.

Backstage, Kevin Patrick interviews Seth Rollins, who says he has picked "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes' opponent for tonight. Rollins also states that he wants Cody to feel the same way he did at WrestleMania, then gets a call from Cody's opponent.

R-Truth head to the ring for the double commitment ceremony for Dana Brooke and Reggie as well as Akira Tozawa and Tamina. Reggie and Tozawa are in the ring after the commercial break, along with invited guests. R-Truth reminds everyone that the WWE 24/7 Championship is off-limits during the ceremony. Dana Brooke and Tamina head to the ring, and Naomi and Sasha Banks help hold the back of Tamina's dress up. Dana Brooke and Reggie exchange their vows, then Tamina and Tozawa do the same, with Tamina saying "What she said," and Tozawa saying "Same." When R-Truth asks for any objections, Tamina suddenly objects and switches Tozawa with Reggie, then objects again and switches herself with Tozawa to be with Dana Brooke before objecting a third time and getting back with Tozawa. Both couples are officially deemed committed by R-Truth after Reggie and Tozawa place the rings. Both couples then kiss, but when Reggie gets Dana on the mat, a referee counts to three and wins the 24/7 Championship, then Tamina wins it off of him. Tozawa then gets Tamina in a schoolkid pin to win the 24/7 Championship, then Dana Brooke wins it back off Tozawa with a top rope cross body. Tozawa then gets away with a ride on R-Truth's back.

Backstage, Sarah Schreiber interviews Bobby Lashley. We see a message from earlier today from MVP and Omos where MVP tells Lashley that he will realize how much of a big mistake he has made hogging the spotlight for himself without him before stating he has moved on to bigger, meaner things. He says that Omos is superior to him in every way and he is teaching him everything that he taught Lashley about how to become a WWE Champion, then challenges Lashley to a feat of strength in the form of an arm wrestling match. Omos states that "The All Mighty Era" is coming to an end. Lashley says that to get to MVP, he must get through Omos, an while Omos is big, strong and scary, so is he, and he accepts the arm wrestling match.

Before the next match, Seth "Freakin'" Rollins reveals "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes' opponent: Kevin Owens.

"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes beats Kevin Owens by count-out after Seth "Freakin'" Rollins tells Owens to get back in the ring only for Owens to tell Rollins that this is Rollins' own match and not his. During the match, Rollins shows up during the match to watch from ringside. After the match, an angry Seth Rollins shoves Cody Rhodes off the middle rope to the outside.

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!