Bloodline And Judgment Day Align, Chaos Ensues

This week's Raw started with a somewhat winded promo featuring The Bloodline and Judgment Day but it was intriguing idea that gained steam and got going as Solo Sikoa battled Rey Mysterio. Also on the show, Trish Stratus and Brock Lesnar were booked to explain their actions. Bobby Lashley was set to go one-on-one with Austin Theory, and The Miz and Seth Rollins tore the house down with a great match.Here are your winners and losers for Raw, April 17, 2023:

Winner/Loser: Opening Segment

It'd difficult to be critical of any Bloodline segment because every segment is typically a home run, but the opening 15 minutes of Raw felt a bit sluggish. The point was to sell the narrative that Roman Reigns had masterminded a short-term alliance between The Bloodline and Judgment Day, but the need to address past issues and active beefs between the two factions slowed to the momentum of things. It felt as though each performer was waiting for a big reaction from the crowd that never came.

That said, the idea is sound and the temporary partnership makes sense. The alliance was formed to help The Usos and Solo deal with Riddle, Sami Zayn, and Kevin Owens, while Sikoa was offered up as a Bad Bunny eliminator. Ultimately, a six-man tag match was announced for later in the show and Solo was to take on Rey Mysterio in the first match of the evening.

Solo carried the offense early but Rey got his shots in too. The Usos came down to the ring but before they could get involved, the LWO cut off Jimmy and Jey. Rey looked to take advantage of the distraction, but Solo was too much and landed the Samoan Spike for the win. After the match, The Bloodline took out the LWO and Rey. 1-0 for The Bloodline.

This took a bit to get going but the match was strong and the finish made sense. WWE salvaged a slower opening with good action in the first 30 minutes.

Winner: Dakota Kai Vs. Bianca Belair

One week after Iyo Sky earned a future shot at the Raw Women's Championship, Dakota Kai wanted to earn her own way to a contender spot. She took on Bianca Belair in a non-title match. The early chemistry was a bit off but things picked up as the match progressed. The two found their rhythm following the commercial break. It took two tries but Belair eventually hit the Kiss of Death for the win. Dakota Kai looked solid in the loss.

Winner: Cody Loses His Cool

Cody Rhodes came out dressed to fight and called out Brock Lesnar. Instead, it was Adam Pearce who showed up and told Cody not to do what he was thinking. Telling the viewing audience that Cody wasn't medically cleared to compete, he begged him to leave and then brought out security to usher him out. Surrounded by security, Lesnar's music hit and all dressed in black (the typical heel garb) Lesnar dared Cody to come and get him. Rhodes roughed up over a dozen security guards in an attempt to get at The Beast Incarnate but more guards showed up and stopped Cody in his tracks. Cody called Lesnar a coward after Brock walked out, not having said a word.

This was a solid segment that painted Rhodes in a different light. Up until now, Cody has always been respectful and followed the rules. This was a new response and the fans ate it up when he came unglued. This was a good way to officially announce these two would battle at Backlash.

Winner: Miz Vs. Seth Rollins

Following up on the buzz generated by Lesnar and Cody's segment, WWE was smart to bring Rollins out next as the fans stayed hot for his bout against The Miz. And, to be fair, the match was excellent. Both gave it their all and earned, "this is awesome" chants from the live crowd.

Rollins picked up the predictable win but The Miz proved why he's such a good worker and a reliable hand. He's often underrated based on how good a wrestler he can be. This match reminded everyone. Considering there was no build-up or storyline between these two prior to the match, both did a fantastic job of keeping the crowd engaged and putting on a really solid contest.

Winner: Reed Attacks Lashley

Furthering the rivalry that seemed to start last week, Bronson Reed attacked Lashley during his match with Austin Theory. This segment was predictable, but it still worked. These two behemoths beating the tar out of each other will never not be entertaining. WWE is working towards a clash at Backlash. These two are bringing something out in each other and their official clash should be hard-hitting and fun.

Winner: Trish Stratus Promo

Stratus cut one of the best promos she might have ever cut in WWE on Monday night. Suggesting she felt disrespected by her peers and the fans, she revisited history and made sure to emphasize the importance of her role in it. She's no sidekick and she took issue with Lynch for not thanking her for all that she had done for women's wrestling and she delivered a few whopped one-liners. "When I first started in WWE, the women's division was a joke," she said. She added, "I was the first woman to make you people give a crap about the women's division. Without me, there would be no women's revolution and certainly no women in the main event of WrestleMania." She explained why she took out Lita and wrapped up last week's drama in a nice little bow.

Winner: Main Event Breaks Down

The six-man main event broke down into a chaotic ending as The Bloodline interfered when it was clear Judgment Day wasn't going to be able to solve Reigns' Riddle, Owens, and Zayn problem. The good guys picked up the victory in the match and when the Riddle, Owens, and Zayn were outnumbered, Rey Mysterio brought the LWO down to the ring with him and it was an all-out brawl to end the show. This was a fun way to end the show and the crowd was into it. The intensity was at an all-time high and the heels failed to get the job done.

There are a number of questions to be answered now. Will The Bloodline take issue with Judgment Day for failing? Are the LWO now in The Bloodline's crosshairs? The crossover storylines here make this intriguing and a ton of fun for the WWE Universe.

This was a really strong episode of Raw.