WWE Raw Results: 5 talking points as FOUR top NXT superstars debuted

The first WWE Raw after a major network special is always a crucial step and will not be different tonight.

After surviving a special explosive network where we saw the first WWE Women's Champion, a new Intercontinental Champion and much more, the road to WrestleMania continues.

Finn Balor makes his first appearance as a champion in two and a half years, Ronda Rousey and Ruby Riott face off in a rematch on Sunday and what do some NXT stars do at the arena?

We were NXT

The Internet community was in the middle of a rumor that four big NXT stars would have been seen behind the scenes on Raw. This was quickly confirmed by WWE, which posted pictures of Ricochet, Johnny Gargano, Aleister Black and current NXT champion Tommaso Ciampa at the arena.

In opening the show, Triple H – the man behind the yellow mark then touted the four talents – presenting each to the crowd with complete video packages, telling them that they are the best of NXT for the moment.

In addition, the four men would make their Raw debut tonight. Some of the newly named NXT talents, including Nikki Cross and EC3, are not branded or in a pattern, they can appear anywhere. Will it be the same for these indisputable stars?

The rivalry between Gargano and Ciampa has long been the highlight of NXT. However, tonight, the two single NXT title holders are revamping their famous DIY combo to tackle the new Raw Tag team champion, The Revival.

The crowd is close to silence for what is a fantastic match between the two series of champions. Johnny Wrestling had the chance to show his speed and technical prowess and Ciampa had the opportunity to prove to a much wider audience why his reputation is so strong in NXT. Power, malice, man has everything.

The Revival – after winning the Raw Tag team titles last week, also seemed impressive as both teams returned to NXT rivalry. However, the moment of Top Guys in the sun does not seem to last long. Dash and Dawson came across the novice duo in this untitled contest.

What a strange time The Revival goes through and without reference to the conflict between Ciampa and Gargano, did this story fail? If so, what a waste.

Balor and Ricochet badociate

While Paul Heyman was pontificating about the Beast – Brock Lesnar, he was interrupted, not by Seth Rollins, his opponent WrestleMania, but by the one who took Lesnar to the limit of the Royal Rumble and the new intercontinental champion, Finn Balor.

While speaking on the microphone, one of the opponents of Elimination Chamber's Balor appeared in the form of Lio Rush. Those who planned knew what would happen next and we quickly saw Bobby Lashley arrive to be beaten by Balor.

His savior was a minor shock as Ricochet pulled down the ramp to equalize the chances of an impromptu match between the two teams.

In what was technically a showcase for the new NXT star, we saw Ricochet hit some of his incredible acrobatic onslaught. The one and only is really this and part of its offensive is so fast and accurate, it needs a constant rebroadcast on the screen so you can catch yourself.

Balor managed to put the finishing touches on at the end of the match to allow Ricochet to hit the 630 splash on Lio Rush for his first win. The boys with at least 24 abdominals in between won a valuable win on TV and the fans' appetite was sent out with the thought of Balor and Ricochet for the Intercontinental Title at WrestleMania.

Champions who make history

At Elimination Chamber, the women's division of the WWE continued to play its leading role and crowned its first-ever women's team champions while Bayley and Sasha Banks showed up for the elimination chamber.

While the emotions were still alive among new champions, the two men wanted to show how much these titles meant for them. Bayley said that "despite waging war, it was together that we changed the world". Sasha Banks went on to say that anyone "past, present and future" should switch to "Raw, Smackdown or even NXT".

With a kind of challenge, Nia Jax and Tamina came to spoil the celebrations. The dominant duo went towards the ring to find themselves at the wrong end of a quick fight, and then just as quickly as they arrived, they headed back.

Dean Ambrose's departure tour continues

As previously reported, Dean Ambrose told WWE that he would not extend his contract and leave the company around WresleMania. Lunatic Fringe shocked the wrestling world as he turned down a major contract at WWE to head for the unknown.

Ambrose recently spoke of people being "just for the money" and he did not want to be part of it because he had fallen in love with the direction that WWE was sending him.

Since the announcement, Ambrose has borrowed a strange path, apparently calling for performances in and out of script in promos.

Earlier in the evening, Ambrose was behind the scenes at Triple Hall and Drew McIntyre, the former Shield member, and the former Shield member challenged Drew to seal him.

In what could be a vision of the coming months for Ambrose, he was crushed in two minutes by the Scottish psychopath. A quick win for Drew on a big name and probably a series of defeats for the departure of Ambrose who, after the match, asked his former partner Seth Rollins: "Where were you there?" While their paths crossed behind the scenes. I do not want to conspire here, but will Dean somehow influence the Universal title match at WrestleMania as a farewell gift?

Ronda vs Ruby part 2

After an absence at Elimination Chamber, Ruby Riott fought much better against Raw Women's champion Ronda Rousey in the match that should have happened 24 hours earlier.

As with every Rousey match, Becky Lynch's specter hangs over every second. However, tonight, The Man was nowhere else. Apparently, he was aware of Triple H's warning that she would be arrested if she attempted a similar badault tonight.

Relieved of any distractions, Rousey and Riott had the match that fans would have preferred to see in the House with the talented leader of the group Riott.

After much offending the former UFC Bantamweight champion, Riott almost won the title – with the help of her teammates.

In the end, Rousey managed to win, but it was a much better affair than Sunday night without interference.

In all honesty, it was a terrible edition of Raw, despite appearances and victories won by the new talent of NXT. Will they come back next week? Or was it a one off? So many questions, hardly any answers.