Welcome one and all to the first edition of the RAW RECAP for 2023, presented by THE REVELLEUTION! The new year kicks off with a Raw Women’s Championship Match as Bianca Belair defends against the unhinged Alexa Bliss who has been affected by otherworldly influences thanks to Bray Wyatt/Uncle Howdy. Will we see a clear-cut winner in this one, or will things be dragged out to the Royal Rumble event? And what’s next for Becky Lynch and Damage CTRL after the clash between Lynch and Bayley saw the Role Model get a tainted win? Let’s get into it, and find out…
BIANCA BELAIR was interviewed and took exception to being labelled as a victim after the attack two weeks ago. Belair dismissed the ‘influence’ of Bray Wyatt and said Bliss was her own person.
Raw Women’s Championship Match
Raw Women’s Champion BIANCA BELAIR Vs ALEXA BLISS ended in a no-contest – Belair retains.
Belair decked Bliss with a Forearm then mocked Bliss’ height by holding her off with an arm before hitting a wind-up Uppercut. Bliss avoided strikes and hit a Dropkick to the back to send Belair out, and tried for a Baseball Slide but Belair countered. Hooking Bliss up Powerbomb style to eventually swing Bliss into the crowd barrier. After a commercial break, Belair did lots of her usual flips and counters, leading to the flip from the corner to hit a Single Leg Dropkick.
Bliss avoided a wild charge into the corner as Belair drove herself into the ring post. Stomps followed then the ropes-held head stomping spot to get a two count. Belair tried for the Delayed Suplex but Bliss eventually escaped, and hit a rough looking backbreaker across the knee thanks to a pull of the braid for a near fall. A flurry of strikes with the Low Dropkick ended it got a near fall for Bliss. Bliss went for the Goddess DDT but Belair countered, powering Bliss up to finally hit the Delayed Suplex.
Bliss got sent into each corner head first before taking a trio of Body Slams. Belair having to stomp Bliss to keep her down and in position for her to hit the Handspring Moonsault for a near fall. Things continued to be chunky with a delay in Bliss doing a pull-down low bridge trip to bring Belair to the apron but Bliss having to stomp Belair off the apron, setting things up for a less than perfect Con Hilo by Bliss to Belair on the floor. Bliss coming up showing a bloody nose as the show went again to commercial.
Back to live action there was a lot of rough-looking shoving, before Bliss snapped off what seemed to be a deliberately short-range Dropkick to send Belair into the corner, getting a two count off it. Later, Bliss went for Insult to Injury but Belair rolled away to avoid the Senton part. An exchange of pinholds leading to Belair muscling up Bliss, trying for a KOD but Bliss escaped. Only for Belair to counter a Headscissors attempt into a Backbreaker.
Belair hit 11 punches in the corner, but Bliss managed to slip out and used the braid to yank Belair not just down into the ropes but over them to tumble to the floor. Bliss however got distracted by a fan who was wearing a black Uncle Howdy mask, and then again when she tried to go up top with Belair back in the ring as Bliss sawy a different fan with the same mask. The Howdy graphic flashed up on the titantron twice as Bliss sold like she had a sudden headache.
Bliss, now ‘controlled’ then leapt into the referee and attacked him with a wild round of strikes, before jumping onto Belair with the Lou Thesz Press and similar blows. Belair followed to the floor as Belair got sent into a ringpoost, the barricade, then another ring post before into the apron and the steel steps. Bliss hitting a Goddess DDT onto the steps as Belair came up looking like she had a busted lower lip or chin. Only for Bliss to hit a second DDT onto the steps. Footage later showing Belair refusing medical attention or being stretchered out.
DAMAGE CTRL of BAYLEY, DAKOTA KAI & IYO SKY went to the ring (but only to Bayley’s solo entrance theme). Bayley mocking the fans bragging about how Damage CTRL were born in Nashville at last year’s SummerSlam. Bayley claiming she beat Lynch on her own, and that of course brought out BECKY LYNCH to interrupt. Lynch going on the verbal attack, pointing out how Bayley is hiding behind Damage CTRL and trying to drive a wedge into the trio claiming Bayley was claiming all the glory off the tag title gold. Lynch dared Bayley to fight her and end things in the city where this issue all started, but Bayley refused. Instead saying that since Lynch was so obsessed with her girls, she could find a partner and face Kai and Sky. Lynch instead just marched to the ring, saying she’d take her chances with a Handicap Match.
Non-Title Women’s Tag Team Match
Women’s tag Team Champions Damage CTRL (DAKOTA KAI & IYO SKY) w/h BAYLEY defeated BECKY LYNCH & MICHIN (FKA Mia Yim)
The match started with Lynch against Sky, as Lynch got control with a misdirection Big Boot. Managing to divide and conquer with a Baseball slide to keep Kai knocked down then hitting a Stunner through the ropes, and pointing to Bayley like she was intentionally stealing one of Bayley’s moves. A big Enzigiri getting Lynch a two-count. Sky avoided the Dis-Arm-Her and managed to use a Drop Toe Hold to send Lynch into her team’s corner.
Kai’s Running Boot missed in the corner as again Lynch fought off the odds, hitting her corner Springboard Kick to kai before using a Hip Toss to send Sky into Kai (or as good enough as it gets). Lynch controlled with legdrops and Elbow Drops, but eventually the numbers game caught up. Sky able to grab Lynch’s leg to block another Springboard attempt and that set up Kai to hit that Running Boot into the corner for a two count. On the outside, Kai whipped Sky to hit a Clothesline to deck Lynch to the floor.
Lynch was getting roughed up as the Damage CTRL had their way with her, including sending Lynch into the ring post. MICHIN (formerly known as Mia Yim) then made her entrance, providing a distraction as Lynch hit a Jawbreaker and Clothesline to Sky to get a break. The referee allowing the match to become a tag team affair as Michin got the tag and decked Sky with Kicks and Clotheslines. Kai coming in just to be taken out with a Drop Toe Hold before Michin hit a Flapjack on Sky to drive her into Kai. Michin went for Eat defeat but Kai pulled Sky to safety, only for Lynch to hit a Flying Forearm off the apron to take out Kai.
After a commercial break, the announcers did refer to Michin as Mia Yim but the on-screen graphic only listed her as Michin. Michin taking Kai’s Scorpion Kick. Setting things up as Sky was tagged in before Damage CTRL hit their high low series of strikes and kicks. Michin avoided getting locked into a Crossface the first time but Sky hit a La Mistica to apply the hold. Michin escaped with a pin-hold, and managed to shove Sky away but didn’t see Kai able to make a tag before kai was knocked down off Sky’s momentum from the shove off.
Michin didn’t know Sky wasn’t legal, hitting a Neckbreaker onto Sky. Kai tried to haul Lynch down but couldn’t do it as Michin tagged out, leaving Lynch to hit Kai with a Legdrop down into the apron then a Facebuster after a jump off the apron. Kai getting sent wildly into the ring post then barricade then doing the same happening to Sky. A Top Rope Dropkick getting Lynch a two count. Michin was tagged in as the teo faces hit a Douple Team Superplex onto Kai, but Sky broke up the pin attempt.
Sky avoided a Man-Handle Slam, hitting a Shotei to Lynch before a Shotgun Dropkick by Michin took Sky out. Michin hitting a wild Headscissors Driver as Kai leaned through the ropes, but going for the pin Bayley put Kai’s leg on the ropes as the ref only saw the boot on the cable to cause the break. Lynch attacked Bayley at ringside, and this distracted Michin as she didn’t see Damage CTRL make a tag. So when Michin hit Eat Defeat on Kai, it left Michin on her back as Sky hit the Over The Moonsault to get the win. Lynch left looking distraught at being unable to beat the numbers.
CATHY KELLEY handled interview duties.
Backstage Alexa Bliss claimed she was in full control, and now she was in Belair’s headspace. Vowing to take the Women’s Championship.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
The as expected non-finish between Belair and Bliss to continue the feud, and we can only expect more over the top spooky goings on as the storyline continues. The match itself was a disappointment. The women were not in sync, something that’s a little bit of a trend in matches where Belair isn’t going 100% over. The two were clearly stiff with one another and it hurt the match with the mistiming and clunkiness of spots. They need to get their acts together and get on the same page professionally or else any PLE title match is going to sink like a leaky ship.
Elsewhere, the Bayley-Lynch feud continues with Lynch indirectly losing to Bayley’s crew. Mia Yim is once again Michin this month, but we’ll see if the name sticks for next week or if it’s again dropped like it was the first time. Clearly this heading to another one-on-one bout between Lynch and Bayley but we’ll have to see how they get there or if there will be a gimmick match to end the feud or not.
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!