Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION. The Royal Rumble is over a week away, but aside from the Women’s Rumble there’s been no set matches for the show, let alone a significant amount of Superstars who have declared for the match. Will that change this week? And what’s next for the Women’s Tag Team division now that new challengers are needed for the titles? Let’s get into it, and find out…
An ‘earlier today’ video showed CANDICE LERAE and INDI HARTWELL speaking with General Manager Adam Pearce to try and get a tag title shot. Of course, CHELSEA GREEN and PIPER NIVEN interrupted as Green complained about a slow count in the match last week. Pearce quickly made a tag match between the duos so both teams could try and earn a title match.
Tag Team Match
CANDICE LERAE & INDI HARTWELL defeated CHELSEA GREEN & PIPER NIVEN
Hartwell and LeRae had a hype video before the match. As soon as the bell rang Green hit LeRae with a boot to send her through the ropes while Niven decked Hartwell from behind. That forced Hartwell to be legal against Niven who hit a Shoulderbreaker and then knocked LeRae off the apron. Green took a tag, and delivered a slap to Hartwell before Niven hit a Short-Arm Clothesline to give Green a count of one.
Hartwell tried to fight back and managed to put Green through the ropes to hit a European Uppercut but missed a follow-up Big Boot when Green pulled back. Hartwell was then dragged through the ropes and to the floor, but Hartwell avoided a kick from Green to then sweep the leg, and hit the Big Boot with Green dangled off the apron. Green was able to make a tag while Hartwell got back in, and Niven hit a Headbutt while the announcers mentioned the Women’s Tag Champs would defend against Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn on Smackdown this week.
Niven would miss a Vader Bomb attempt, and the tag champs KAYDEN CARTER and KATANA CHANCE are shown watching the match from backstage. Hartwell finally tagged to LeRae who hit strikes on Niven, leading to a Glimmering Warlock. LeRae hit two of her Step-Up Sentons in a row, and then a third but also hitting a Codebreaker to Green when she came it at the same time! Hartwell was tagged back in to use a double team of a Wheelbarrow-like hold to flip LeRae into a splash but Green broke up the pin attempt. Green hit a Thrust Kick to drop LeRae but ate a Spinebuster from Hartwell.
Niven hit a Bodyslam, and missed the Basement Crossbody but when she ran the ropes Green made a blind tag. LeRae made one of her own so when Green tried to hit the I’m Prettier, Hartwell countered and set Green on the ropes. LeRae made a complete mess of an attempted Springboard Moonsault from the middle ropes, hitting more knees than anything else but that was the ‘move’ that won her and Hartwell the match.
MAXXINE DUPRI accompanied Akira Tozawa as he faced Ivar accompanied by VALHALLA. Dupri caused an intentional distraction when she got on the apron, allowing Tozawa to steal the upset win off a Sunset Flip Powerbomb. For her troubles, Valhalla attacked Dupri after the match to fishhook Dupri then hit a Pop-up Headbutt.
Later, backstage as The Creed Brothers checked over Alpha Academy IVY NILE stormed in an vowed that Valhalla would pay for the attack.
World Women’s Champion RHEA RIPLEY went to the ring for a promo. She mocked Nia Jax for her comments last week and said this was still her division, and warned whoever won the Rumble not to waste their WrestleMania opportunity (but Ripley had to pause in her speech like she’d forgotten the words).
BECKY LYNCH interrupted and cut a promo while the two circled one another, referencing how they were both from foreign countries and went from WrestleMania afterthoughts to being the face of the division. Lynch implied she was the better of the two by bringing up the fact she won a WrestleMania main event. Lynch claimed she was kept up at night with the thought that Ripley might be better than her. Lynch said she needed to take the title from Ripley but rather than challenge her directly, she said she’d need to win the Rumble. Ripley mocked Lynch and claimed she wanted to see Lynch, and then again by saying she’d see her at Mania. Leaving the ring while Lynch stared a hole through a potential opponent.
JACKIE REDMOND handled interview duties.
Tag Team Match
SHAYNA BASZLER & ZOEY STARK defeated NATALYA & TEGAN NOX
Nox and Stark started off, and Nox quickly ate a big Superkick. Nox was put on the middle ropes with her back exposed in the corner, to take a kick from Stark and when Baszler tagged in, a double team with a Neckbreaker by Stark and a Stomp off the ropes by Baszler. It got just a count of one before for the second match tonight we again saw Kayden Carter and Katana Chance watching from backstage.
Nox blocked the Arm Stomp but Baszler just did a snap move with the arm instead, and acted heel-like with a choke to Nox on the ropes. Nox got worked over in the corner to take body shots from Baszler, then stomps from Stark when she tagged in before Baszler tagged for more body blows and then Stark tagged for a couple of open hand chops. Nox tried to fight back with chops of her own but got caught off, before Baszler tagged in and while Nox tried to fight out of the corner, Baszler hit a Knee Strike to rock her. Natalya broke up the pin and got tossed out of the ring for her troubles.
Nox prevented a Superplex attempt to drop Baszler down with a Super Front Suplex, and then hit a Crossbody off the top then a Running European Uppercut that led to tags on both sides. Natalya hit punches then a Snap Suplex on Stark before doing the rope-bounce Atomic toss. The step-over run led to the Basement Dropkick, and then a Release German Suplex followed. Natalya went for the Discus Clothesline but Stark ducked, before Natalya blocked the knee of the Z-360 attempt. Natalya tried for The Sharpshooter but Stark kicked her away before Baszler made a bling tag. A clear tag was made to Nox as she and Natalya tried to Double Team Clothesline Stark over the ropes but it ended up just trapping Stark against the cables so she dropped down to leave.
Baszler couldn’t take advantage of the distraction and got hit with Natalya’s Discus Clothesline. Nox hit a PK for a near fall. Natalya got a tag and held Baszler up for the Hart Attack double team but Stark pulled Nox to the floor to deck her with a Superkick. Inside the ring Baszler locked in the Kirifuda Clutch and despite an attempt to roll through for a brief pin, Natalya was trapped and forced to tap out.
It was confirmed that Ivy Nile would face off against Valhalla next week.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Unless there’s a tag match added to the show, it seems like the only women’s match will be the Rumble at the Rumble event itself. Slightly disappointing and again there was little real hype for the Rumble match itself. One week we had a Nia Jax promo and then the next it was Becky Lynch but neither truly worked, and especially this week with the odd circling around that Ripley and Lynch did during the promo. The two tag matches were both solid to show off all the teams, but once again Candice LeRae’s hot/cold status went ice cold with the botched finish that ultimately hurt the match. There’s a lot of teams who could be the next challengers but they will all need to step up and be better than this.
That’s your lot for this week! Be sure to stop by in seven days’ time for the pre-Rumble edition of the RAW RECAP! See you then!