Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! We’re arrived in the year 2024 and the WWE kicks things off with a ‘Day 1’ edition of Raw with plenty of women’s matches. Including a title clash with Rhea Ripley defending the Women’s World Championship against Ivy Nile, while the ‘five years in the making’ clash between Nia Jax and Becky Lynch is also advertised. Who will make the big statements as we head on the Road to WrestleMania and the Royal Rumble? Let’s get into it, and find out…
Singles Match
NIA JAX defeats BECKY LYNCH
The played the hype video that WWE published on social media before the match. Jax went for a face punch earlier but Lynch ducked it, and went for the Dis-Arm-Her then the Man-Handle Slam but both times got roughly shoved away. Lynch went for a Springboard Crossbody and Jax barely caught her, being out of position. Lynch escaped from a Samoan Drop attempt, hit an Enzigiri but soon got a Body Slam from Jax.
Jax hit a corner Splash then an Elbow Drop. Lynch would come back with a Jaw Breaker and moments later hit a round of strikes that only staggered Jax. Lynch would be caught in a Bearhug after a charge, and escaped with a Sunset Flip attempt just to roll away to avoid a squash from Jax’s drop down. Lynch hit a Perfect-Mare but only got a count of one from it. Lynch hit a Forearm Smash to the corner but couldn’t toss Jax for a Bex-Ploder. Managing to instead hit a form of a Diamond Dust a few seconds later.
Not long after, Lynch hit a top rope Dropkick to get a two count. The match went into in-picture for commercials. When it returned to live-action, Lynch hit a Molly-go-round for a near fall. Jax would later go for a Legdrop over the bottom rope but Lynch avoided it so Jax just hit the apron, leaving her open for a Baseball Slide. Lynch went for the Forearm from the apron but Jax just booted her in the gut. Going for another punch to the face but just hitting the ring post. Jax no sold it to just Headbutt Lynch seconds after the spot. Jax did a Cannonball attempt but Lynch again avoided it so Jax hit the timekeeper’s barricade.
Lynch returned to the ring and the referee had to stall the last count so Jax could get in and not be counted out and the crowd knew that was a botch from the boos. Lynch hit a Legdrop from the top rope for a two count, but turned the kick out into the Dis-Arm-Her. Jax would counter into a pin but Lynch kept the arm for an Armbar, and that was countered with the haul-up spot into a rather rough looking Sit-out Powerbomb for a near fall for Jax.
Moments later, Lynch blocked an Annihilator attempt to try and hit a Man-Handle Slam off the ropes, only for Jax to hit a Super Samoan Drop for a near fall. Later, Jax was put through the ropes and hit with a flurry of strikes. When Lynch jumped from the middle rope for the Legdrop spot, Jax instead hit a punch (because, you know, she broke Lynch’s face once years ago) that Lynch sold like death. The Annihilator followed to give Jax the upset win.
There was a video skit where CHELSEA GREEN and PIPER NIVEN gatecrashed a nightclub party of new Women’s Tag Team Champions KATANA CHANCE and KAYDEN CARTER. Only for the champs to toss drinks in Green’s face.
Women’s World Championship Match
Women’s World Champion RHEA RIPLEY defeated IVY NILE
They did a long lock-up to start with, showing Nile being able to match strength but only to be shoved down. Nile went for a lift up but Ripley escaped and kicked the leg out to set up for a Basement Dropkick. The vault back spot from out of a corner by Nile was almost botched because of the height difference. Later on, Nile hit a Crossbody from the top rope but only got a count of one. A Big Boot finally shut Nile down.
Ripley took too much time bad-mouthing, allowing Nile to come off the ropes for a Headscissors then hitting a messy kind of T-bone Suplex to Ripley. Not for the first time tonight, a women’s match went to in-picture so adverts could play. Back to live action, Nile was in a rest hold and managed to power up, only to be shut down with a Dropkick. Ripley went to the floor and tried for an Electric Chair Drop but Nile escaped and hit a German Suplex on the floor!
Back in the ring Nile got some kicks in, then another Headscissors and moments later a Leg Lariat for a near fall. Not long after a Tilt-a-whirl DDT got another two count for Nile. Soon after, Ripley was able to catch Nile coming to the corner with legs around the waist for a short-range Headbutt. It set up Ripley’s Missile Dropkick to get a two count. Nile escaped a Riptide attempt, hitting a Head Kick and then a Gutwrench Suplex for a near fall.
Ripley would escape another lift up attempt by Nile, hitting the knee to the gut, the toe stomp then a face crusher before just decking Nile with a Clothesline. Kingdom Falls got Ripley a near fall. Nile was set up on the top rope as Ripley tried for a Superplex, but Nile escaped to first try a Sunset Flip Powerbomb but when Ripley held position and blocked, Nile grabbed an arm to yank Ripley’s head down to hit the top turnbuckle. A German Suplex off the ropes got Nile a near fall.
A leap from the ropes by Nile ate a Headbutt from Ripley. A Low Knee Strike followed then the Riptide as Ripley got the win and retained the title.
Tag Team Match
SHAYNA BASZLER & ZOEY STARK defeated NATALYA & TEGAN NOX
Stark began against Natalya, and Natalya hit an Arm Drag before soon after hitting the rope-bounce toss Atomic Drop. Opting for a tag than the usual run over spot to let Nox hit a PK. A quick tag with Stark taken to the Nox/Nattie corner but Natalya couldn’t capitalise. A blind tag by Baszler before Stark hit a low trip that set up Baszler’s Low Knee Strike to get a two count.
Surprise surprise, once again another women’s match went into in-picture for adverts to play. When the action returned Natalya made a tag to Nox to make her legal against Baszler. Hitting House on Fire Clotheslines on Baszler and hitting a Spinning Back Elbow to Stark when she came in. A Heabutt by Nox set up a Front Suplex as we saw CANDICE LERAE and INDI HARTWELL watching the match from backstage. Nox hit the high Cannonball and then the Molly-go-round which (eventually after the ref decided shoulders were down) got a near fall.
Moments later Baszler hit a Head Kick but Natalya interjected herself before Baszler could even go for a pin. Stark hit a Superkick to take Natalya out and then got the tag. A German Suplex by Baszler sent Nox over and into the grip of Stark for a Z-360 to give Stark the win.
It was confirmed that next week would see a rematch for the Women’s Tag Team Championships with Katana Chance and Kayden Carter defending against the former champs of Chelsea Green and Piper Niven.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
There’s a new director in charge of the WWE now that Kevin Dunn has left the WWE. But it’s not that promising start when EVERY women’s match on the show tonight had a long period of being in-picture so adverts can play out. Granted, men’s matches also suffered the same fate during the show but that doesn’t make it any better. It’s rather disrespectful and doesn’t do the women any favours when their bouts are seen as being only good to shove some ads in. Hopefully, this was a one off and won’t continue next week.
While slightly better than most Nia Jax matches, Jax was still Jax with limited selling and even when she did or took bumps it didn’t last long (hitting a Headbutt right after punching the ring post? Really?). So it was more Lynch carrying the match to try and put Jax over than any good work by Jax. It went far longer than it needed to and ultimately the loss here hurt Lynch more than it put over Jax. Meanwhile, Ripley and Nile put on a great contest that allowed Nile to shine and show her stuff. The result was never in doubt but it was a fun match to enjoy. Elsewhere, the women’s tag match was fine but suffered from most of it being taken up by in-picture adverts.