Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! With the stable known as Damage CTRL fully established, they’ve made it clear that championship gold is in their future. This week they look to win the tag title they controversially failed to win after the illegal woman was pinned. Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky will challenge reigning champs Aliyah and Raquel Rodriguez. Will Damage CTRL make a major statement and claim the straps, or fall short once again? And what will happen next between the group’s leader Bayley and title rival, Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair? Let’s get into it, and find out…
It was announced early in the show that Bianca Belair had made an open challenge for anyone to face her.
SARAH SCHREIBER interviewed DAMAGE CTRL. Bayley ranted about how this rematch should have never happened as her team had the illegal woman pinned. Kai had to reassure her, saying they were going to make things right. Schreiber tried to ask Bayley about being the only Superstar to pin Belair but Bayley cut the interview off.
RHEA RIPLEY was part of a backstage segment with her pet project Dominik Mysterio, literally being a voice to his ear. Then appearing again later backstage to lead Dominick away when his father Rey tried to talk sense into Dom.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match
Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai & Iyo Sky) w/h BAYLEY defeated ALIYAH & RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ to become the NEW Champions
Kai avd Rodriguez started off with Rodriguez overpowering her former NXT Tag Team Title winning partner with a Knee to the gut. Then lifting Kai up in the Delayed Suplex position and able to back to her corner so Aliyah could tag in. Dumping Kai face first to the mat before Aliyah hit a Running Flying Forearm to get a near fall. Kai was sent to the Champ’s corner as Aliyah hit a Splash, allowing Rodriguez to tag in and hit one of her own to get a two count. Rodriguez kept control with a powerhouse Wristclutch to hold Kai up, then dropping her with a Short-Arm shoulder check for another near fall. Moments later, Kai rolled to the floor and when Sky went to attack, she got sent over the ropes and seemed to slip off the apron when trying to land on it. Regardless, Rodriguez hoisted Aliyah up Press Slam style and sent her over the ropes to take out Kai and Sky on the floor.
Back from a commercial break and Aliyah was tagged in to hit a Double Axe Handle onto Sky. Aliyah showing off athleticism with a flip counter to a Wristlock then vault flipped from a corner before hitting a Lou Thesz Press with punches. Continuing that with a Matrix dodge then her Sit-Out Hiptoss. Sky soon made a tag to Kai and Aliyah didn’t see it, leaving her to be tripped up from the outside by Kai, setting up Sky hitting a Meteora to Aliyah’s back on the ropes to give Kai a two count.
A Running Facewash boot gave Kai another two count on Aliyah, but it seemed either then or a previous move before rattled Aliyah as she seemed down and hurt. Aliyah taking another Meteora from Sky but down in the corner before the heels took turns tagging out and letting Laiyah get her bearings with rest holds. After teasing the Champs tagging but blocking it, Aliyah came back with countering a Double Team Suplex with a Double Neckbreaker. Leaving Kai legal as Rodriguez got the tag and tossed Sky back into Kai. More overpowering as Kai took a Fallaway Slam, then a Vader Bomb twisted to a Senton.
Aliyah tagged in before Rodriguez hit a Big Boot to level Kai, before Aliyah was sent up and over to hit a Splash off of the Alley Oop by Rodriguez. Sky broke up the pin and when Rodriguez tried to take her out, it lead to both women tumbling over the top rope to the floor as Sky countered a Powerbomb with a Headscissors. Aliyah couldn’t get a repeat of two weeks ago as Kai kicked out of the Roll-up. Aliyah hit an impressive Springboard style X-Factor but going for the pin, Bayley put Kai’s foot on the rope to make the official (not seeing the interference of course) stop the count.
Rodriguez went after Bayley but ended up taken out by a Sky Over the Moonsault to the floor (and a messy one as Rodriguez was a bit out of position). Kai’s Backstabber Destroyer spiked Aliyah, and it got Damage CTRL the long-awaited Women’s Tag Team Championships.
BIANCA BELAIR went to the ring, claiming she was making this open challenge to remind everyone about who she is. The challenge was answered by old nemesis and Smackdown Superstar SONYA DEVILLE as she reminded Belair of how she’d cost Deville her job as official months ago.
Raw Women’s Championship Match
Raw Women’s Champion BIANCA BELAIR defeated SONYA DEVILLE to retain.
After some waistlock counters, Belair hit a messy Tilt-a-whirl style Gutbuster for a two count. Deville not exactly perfect herself as after a hairpull slam she hit a wild Running Knee to a kneeling Belair for a two count. Deville roughing up Belair in the corner and things getting messy again with a tight-looking facelock by Deville and a rather slow-motion Snapmare of sorts. Belair coming back after vaulting to the apron to come back in and hit Clotheslines. The Single Leg Dropkick leading to a Suplex then the Handspring Monnsault for a two count.
Belair seemed to be clearly making audibles on screen, motioning for Deville to charge as things went to the outside. Belair landing on her feet Monnsaulting off the apron and getting levelled with a Clothesline by Deville. After a commercial break Deville used an arm wringer to send Belair into the middle turnbuckle. Later, there was another arm pull as Belair was sent to the floor, but Deville reached out to haul Belair by the arm into the turnbuckle.
Back in the ring and later on, Belair tried a comeback with a Roll-up and a Fallaway Slam but going for a second Handspring Moonsault only ate canvas. A Deville Running Knee getting a two count. Things continued to be messy as Belair hit an awful Spinebuster that was more of a toss for a near fall. Deville countered the Glam Slam into the Samson Clutch but the kick out sent Deville face-first into the middle turnbuckle. Moments later, Deville hit a wild Jumping Knee from the middle rope but only got a two count.
Literally, the match paused as the two women fumbled trying to get arms in the right position before Belair hit a Suplex and awkwardly tried to roll through for a second, which Deville countered into a Tazmission. Belair then escaped a Dragon sleeper position by walking up the ropes, flipping back and then scooping Deville up to hit the KOD and bring the bowling shoe ugly match to a merciful end.
After the match Bayley came out and mocked Belair. Bragging about her teammates winning the tag titles earlier and teasing that Belair needed this match to feed her massive ego. Bayley bragging that she’d been out for a year just to come back and beat Belair. It was trap to distract Beliar as Dakota Kai and iyo Sky appeared at other sides of the ring as a three-on-one beatdown began.
That was until ALEXA BLISS and ASUKA rushed down to even the odds. Bliss planting Sky with the Goddess DDT before Kai got hit with a Pop-up Knee by Asuka. Belair now needing the numbers advantage to finally get a piece of Bayley as shit that ugly Spinebuster on Bayley to send her packing.
MARYSE was part of a segment with The Miz being stalked by Dexter Lumis this time at his home.
Rhea Ripley was in Dominick Mysterio’s corner for his match against rival Edge. Interfering with a cheap shot Chop Block behind the referee’s back to Edge’s bad knee, and later holding onto Dom’s leg to save him from taking a Superplex. The match ended with the rest of Judgement Day hitting the ring allowing Ripley to hit Edge’s leg with a chair.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Belair and Deville put on a very bad, messy catch that was on Nia Jax versus Charlotte Flair levels of sloppy. Whether it was just personal issues or just a bad night for both women, the contest went from bad to worse as the match went on. It did neither woman favours and even worse for Belair who needed this win to bounce back from Clash at the Castle. Ugly doesn’t even cover it. Meanwhile, Sky and Kai finally got the titles they perhaps should have gotten weeks back in a solid match that was hurt by the apparent injury Aliyah took or just being knocked briefly loopy. Damage CTRL gets the gold and ends the short reign for Aliyah and Rodriguez that seemed to put over Rodriguez more than it did Aliyah.
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!