Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! After months of build this week will see Trish Stratus and Becky Lynch clash one-on-one with Stratus’ lackie Zoey Stark banned from ringside. Will this be the end of the rivalry or will Stratus have a new plan up her sleeve? And what’s next between Rhea Ripley and Raquel Rodriguez after their pull-apart brawl last week? Let’s get into it and find out…
RHEA RIPLEY and The Judgement Day kicked off Raw with a brief in-ring promo. But there were clear issues in the group because of Damien Priest and the absent Finn Balor not being on the same page.
Backstage it appeared Adam Pearce was about to strip CHELSEA GREEN of the Women’s Tag Team Championships due to Sona Deville’s injury. Green cut him off before he could as she complained that she should be able to host ‘Chelsea’s Got Talent’ (referring to the social media trend she started over the past week) and whoever won that would be her new tag partner to defend the gold.
KATANA CHANCE and KAYDEN CARTER interrupted and said they were ready to face Green. But before Chance could finish, PIPER NIVEN suddenly decked her with a cheap shot. Storming up to Green as Carter checked over her friend, as Niven declared herself as Green’s new partner and even took one of the tag belts. Green wisely didn’t protest the decision.
MAXXINE DUPRI accompanied The Aplha Academy as they confronted Imperium in the ring. Durpi once again being the target of Ludwig Kasier’s mind games as he levelled insults on her men and compliments for her. Leading to Dupri eventually nailing Kaiser with a slap. Dupri would stay ringside as Chad Gable defeated Giovanni Vinci and then for Gunther defeating Otis.
Backstage Rhea Ripley played peacemaker to rally The Judgement Day as a united front.
JACKIE REDMOND handled interview duties.
INDI HARTWELL got a hype video.
VALHALLA accompanied The Viking Raiders as they lost to Matt Riddle and Drew McIntyre.
RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ spoke to CANDICE LERAE and Indi Hartwell in a locker room lamenting about still not being cleared but encouraging Hartwell to show the world who she was.
Non-Title Singles Match
Women’s World Champion RHEA RIPLEY w/h Dominik Mysterio defeated INDI HARTWELL w/h CANDICE LERAE
Ripley decked Hartwell from the bell, clubbing in a corner then tossing Hartwell across the ring a couple of times. Keeping control by roughing up Hartwell with mount punches, corner blows and chops. Ripley had gotten one charging Shoulder Thrust in a corner, but going for a second in a different corner Hartwell avoided it, leaving Ripley hitting the ring post. Hartwell trying for a comeback with strikes then a Spinebuster but only getting a count of one.
Hartwell put Ripley through the ropes to hit a European Uppercut when a boot to the head to send Ripley off the apron. Ripley would shove Hartwell into the ringpost and then scoop Hartwell up to drive the back into the post. Taunting LeRae before sending Hartwell back in, and faking going back in just to rush around the ring and deck LeRae with a cheap shot. Back in the ring Hartwell caught Ripley with a Small Package for a near fall. A Headbutt by Ripley set things up for the Riptide as Ripley got a dominating win.
After the match, LeRae stormed the ring to get some payback. Leading to Ripley taking a Flapjack to set up LeRae hitting her Step-up Senton. The faces left the scene as Ripley was left fuming.
Singles Match
TRISH STRATUS Vs BECKY LYNCH went to an apparent double count out.
Stratus wore the face mask to start the match. The two traded quick blows to start before Lynch charged Startus to a corner for rough Shoulder Thrusts. Working over Stratus by sending her head first into different corners a few times before hitting some stomps. Stratus used the face mask for a Headbutt to stagger Lynch before firing off several chops. She took too much time with palm licking for a big final chop as Lynch blocked it. Going soon after for the Man-Handle Slam but Stratus blocked with elbows. Stratus missed a Chick Kick and Lyunch hit a Bex-Ploder that sent Trish rolling out of the ring.
Lynch hit a Baseball Slide then the Forearm shot from off the apron. Moments later Lynch was lured in to chase Stratus around the ring, only for Stratus to turn around and deck Lynch with a Clothesline. The two brawled a bit around ringside before Trish was sent in, just to be taught through the ropes with a kick before a Head Kick seemed to knock Stratus’ face mask off briefly before she put it back on. Stratus botched doing the Stratusphere but got it a second time for a near fall.
Going to the floor again Lynch was shoved into the ring steps before being sent back into the ring. Stratus took off the mask, showing she was OK but Lynch blocked her using the mask as a weapon. The referee took the mask away from Lynch, and that allowed Stratus to yank Lynch through the ropes, hitting some kicks to send Lynch into the ringpost.
After a commercial break, Lynch went into house on fire mode with Clotheslines then a Heel Kick. Getting the Corner Springboard Kick then putting Trish through the ropes for the strikes combo to set up for the middle rope Legdrop to get a near fall. Lynch tried for a Man-Handle but Stratus countered with a Roll-up for a two count. Soon after hitting a Spear for a near fall. Stratus seemed staggered at this point in the match. Going for Stratusfacvtion but being shoved off, and soon after a Tornado DDT led to a sloppy fall of being carried along the ropes before Lynch put her back up top. Lynch hit a Superplex but only got a near fall.
Stratus then bailed out to ringside, luring Lynch in and sending her over the barricade to the arena floor. The referee must have applied the quickest count ever before they’d barely brawled for a few seconds before the bell was called for and the match was over. It didn’t stop them from going up the stairs to keep brawling as the fight went all the way to the concessions area of the arena. Fighting on top of the merchandise desk as Lynch went for a Man-Handle. Only for ZOEY STARK to haul Lynch down (since this fight was now nowhere near ringside where she’d been banned from). The numbers games allowing Stratus to nail a Chick Kick to finally deck Lynch as the heels celebrated and backed away.
Backstage, Adam Pearce confronted Stratus and Stark and announced that because of the brawl the next time Stratus faced Stark it would be in a Steel Cage Match.
Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio came out to ringside as Finn Balor faced Cody Rhodes. Ripley distracting to allow Mysterio to interfere, but then the cheating came back to haunt them as Rhodes got the MITB briefcase that Preist sent in to use it to set up his victory. The numbers game working out for the post-match beatdown of Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Lynch and Stratus started out good but as the lengthy match went on Stratus seemed to get out of place and missed her timing. Was it down to just being gassed or just a bad night? It’s a shame as with this feud dragging out one has to wonder if the Steel Cage Match will be worth the wait for. Elsewhere Piper Niven, who I think had just made her first appearance on Raw since the draft months ago, should do fine for a replacement for Deville and lining up Double KC as the challengers makes sense. Ripley got a showcase win and probably will get another against LeRae soon as the WWE continues to stall the feud between Ripley and Rodriguez.
That’s your lot for this week! Be sure to stop by in seven days’ time for the next edition of the RAW RECAP! See you then!