Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! The Elimination Chamber event is close at hand, with Lita and Becky Lynch facing off for the Raw Women’s Championship. Not forgetting a Raw Women’s Elimination Chamber Match to decide who gets the WrestleMania title opportunity for the red brand’s belt. So who will get the final momentum ahead of this Premium Live Event? Let’s get into it, and find out.
Riddle hosted a ‘toga party’ backstage featuring Women’s Tag Team Champions CARMELLA and QUEEN ZELINA.
ALEXA BLISS had another therapy session apparently being ‘as cured as she will be’ but then announcing quickly at the end that she would be the final entrant into the Women’s Elimination Chamber Match.
LITA and Raw Women’s Champion BECKY LYNCH had a contract signing. Lynch was clearly unnerved by facing her idol and ended up tossing the contract at her rival and storming off after failing to convince Lita to back out.
DANA BROOKE had a Valentine’s Day meal with Reggie where TAMINA along with R-Truth and Akira tried to get the title. However, after Brooke Friend Zone’d Reggie again, Reggie showed his true colours by rolling up Brooke to finally bring her title reign to an end.
Women’s Gauntlet Match – Winner Enters the Elimination Chamber Match Last
BIANCA BELAIR defeats DOUDROP, LIV MORGAN, NIKKI A.S.H. & RHEA RIPLEY
Ripley and Ash started the match off and both women had promos before the match. The match began in-picture as adverts ran as Ash went after Ripley’s hair then bailed out of the ring. Ash stalled on the outside, luring Ripley in to hit a hot shot off the top rope. Ripley came back with a Headbutt and when Ash tried to bail outside, Ripley dragged her back in with a flip over the top rope. Ash eventually lured Ripley in again, sending her into the middle rope before clubbing away.
After working over Ripley with cheap shots and corner shots, the action finally went to full action as Ripley missed a Big Boot, allowing Ash to drag her down and force Ripley’s upper body under the ring skirting to club away at her. A wild running blow to a downed Ripley got a near fall. Ash locked on a Top Wristlock for a rest hold, and the two women soon after traded kicks and shots with Ash getting the edge with a low shot to the knee. Eventually, Ripley fought back and turned Ash’s hold on her head into wrist control to hit the Short-Arm Clotheslines, then a version of Kingdom Falls. Ripley tried for Riptide but Ash pulled the hair to escape. Soon after, Ripley caught Ash’s Crossbody attempt off the second rope. A rare mistake as Ripley accidentally let Ash slip out of her hands, but then hit the Riptide to eliminate Ash.
Liv Morgan was the third entrant and had a promo. After a commercial the match started (restarted technically) as Morgan got one count off a quick Roll-up, then the same off a Backslide and a Small Package. After another Roll-Up as a corner charge counter, Morgan hit her Back Elbow rolled out into a High Knee in the corner for a two count. Morgan controlled with a rest hold, turned into a Sleeper but Ripley backed the move up into a corner. Morgan missed a corner charge, and Ripley hoisted Morgan up for a Front Electric Chair Drop to get a near fall.
Ripley hit a fancy fake-out kick, and managed to block a Headscissors attempt but Morgan managed to counter out with an X-Factor for a near fall. Ripley avoided a middle rope Dropkick and locked on the Reverse Cloverleaf but Morgan got to the ropes, making Ripley pay for holding on for too long with a Headscissors-like counter to send Ripley (just) into a middle turnbuckle. Moments later, Ripley caught Morgan with a Superkick and hit Riptide to eliminate Morgan.
Doudrop was the fourth entrant. After a long test of strength, they exchanged shoulder checks before Ripley got the edge. They traded Headbutts before Doudrop planted Ripley with a Back Suplex followed by a Senton. Doudrop worked over an arm with Headbutts but after a Bodyslam trying for another Senton just ate canvas as Ripley hit a Low Dropkick to follow up. They traded Short-Arm Clotheslines before Ripley broke out, faking a Ripcord to move instead hit a Dropkick leading to a two count.
Ripley tried for Riptide but Doudrop escaped before Ripley countered out of a Viper Driver attempt. Ripley hit a Head Kick then hit a snap version of Riptide with a stacked pin to eliminate Doudrop.
Bianca Belair was the last entrant as this part of the match again was started in-picture. Belair trying for a quick Roll-up to get a two count before Ripley answered with a pin attempt of her own. After a Ripley waistlock Belair came back with a shoulder knockdown and a Standing Moonsault for a near fall. The action eventually went to full live screen as Belair got a near fall after yanking Ripley down from the top to counter a double feet up counter. Belair hitting a Body Slam before the women traded slam counters as belair got another near fall off a Roll-up.
Belair hit a Suplex and rolled through, but had to fight to hit the second as Ripley blocked a few times. Only giving Belair a near fall. Later, Ripley used a Drop Toe Hold to send Belair into the middle turnbuckle. Ripley hitting Cravate Knee Strikes and a Snapmare but couldn’t land the Low Dropkick. Belair hitting the Handspring Moonsault for a two count. After a double collision, Ripley went to the floor to recover, and Belair paid for going out after her as Ripley sent her into the steel steps.
After another commercial break, Belair hit a Glam Slam for a near fall. Both women countered one another’s finishers before they traded slaps with Ripley sat up top, eventually Ripley send down with a Deadly Drive. Belair tried for another Handspring Moonsault but Ripley got the knees up. Ripley hit a Missile Dropkick for a near fall. Belair rolled through the Reverse Cloverleaf, hit a Spinebuster then hit the KOD on the exhausted Ripley to win. Belair made sure to show respect to Ripley after the match but Ripley didn’t look too thrilled by what seemed to just be a showboating show to keep the fans happy.
MARYSE accompanied The Miz as they continued their issues with the Mysterios.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Ripley got put over big time in this match, looking great even taking the final loss but one has to wonder if specifically putting Belair as last will lead to Chamber shenanigans. Possibly with Becky Lynch interfering to cost another match to Belair? Alexa Bliss being rushed back to be the last entrant is interesting since the rumours had been she’d be in these therapy skits until Maina. We’ll also see which version of Bliss we get. The insane, Playground one or the Goddess? And poor Brooke gets her title run ended by being made to look like a fool. Can we honestly say it was worth it to finally be a champion if that’s how it ends?
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!