Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! Last week Bianca Belair retained over crooked WWE Official Sonya Deville, despite Deville repeatedly changing the rules and bringing out former Tag Champions Carmella and Queen Zelina to do some dirty work. But perhaps even more importantly, last week saw the returns of not just Becky Lynch to Raw, but the long-awaited return from injury of Asuka! So what’s next for the women of Raw? Let’s get into it, and find out…
Backstage, Adam Pearce told SONYA DEVILLE that she had been stripped of her powers as an Official for the night, and that he’d placed her into a 6-woman tag with Belair on the opposite side. Neither fact Deville was pleased with.
DANA BROOKE confronted R-Truth ‘earlier today’ about last week, but with the ensuing argument with TAMINA, Reggie and Akira, it allowed NIKKI A.S.H. to attack from behind, shoving the mob away and pinning Brooke to become the new 24/7 Champion. After Ash fled, Brooke yelled at Reggie that if he wanted to save their ‘marriage’ he needed to get her a rematch.
WWE 24/7 Championship Match
DANA BROOKE w/h Reggie defeated 24/7 Champion NIKKI A.S.H. to become the NEW Champion
Tamina, Akira and R-Truth were all at ringside. After doing some corner work at opposite turnbuckles, Brooke sent Ash over the ropes then knocked her to the floor. But missed the Baseball Slide as Ash did the apron skirt pull up spot to club away at the trapped Brooke. In the ring Ash only got a two count. Moments later, Brooke hit the Handspring Elbow then hit the Flipping Side Neckbreaker to pin Ash and reclaim the 24/7 Championship.
After the match Akira tried to Roll-up Brooke but Truth pulled him off, before Tamina pulled Truth off of a pin but just stared down Truth. As Brooke tried to escape Reggie rolled her up, but barely got a one count. Furious, Brooke slpped him then grabbed a mic and said she wanted a divorce much to Reggie’s horror.
BECKY LYNCH was interviewed as she ranted that Asuka never held up ‘her end’ of their deal during the pandemic era as Asuka left when Lynch returned.
SARAH SCHREIBER interviewed LIV MORGAN who said her sneak attack on Ripley last week was just payback for what had been done to her.
Backstage, DOUDROP confronted a despondent Nikki A.S.H. and bluntly demanded to know if Ash was done playing around, to which Ash responded with sly smile that she was.
Six-Woman Tag Team Match
Raw Women’s Champion BIANCA BELAIR, ASUKA & LIV MORGAN defeated BECKY LYNCH, RHEA RIPLEY & SONYA DEVILLE
Belair accidentally whipped Asuka in the face heading to the ring with her braid. Asuka and Lynch started off, ducking one another’s strikes before Lynch backed to a corner. tagging out to Deville so Asuka tagged in Belair. Only for Deville to tag out to Ripley to avoid her rival. Ripley had no problems facing off with Belair as the two traded go-behind slams before Ripley escaped out of a Suplex attempt, pulling Belair down by the hair then hitting a cheap shot to Morgan.
Deville was tagged in, hitting kicks to Belair in the Heel corner. Knee Strikes to the gut set up a Snapmare, but Belair avoided a Sliding D to just bulldoze Deville down. Flips followed before hitting the Single Leg Dropkick. Morgan tagged in and was whipped in to hit her Jumping Back Elbow, before Belair hit a Bodyslam but Morgan only got a one count. Lynch blind tagged in but Deville hit a Clothesline anyway to deck Morgan, allowing Lynch to hit an Elbow Dropk before getting a count of one.
Moments later, Morgan hit strikes that set up hitting another Jumping Back Elbow then rolling out to hit the Corner Knee Strike to Lynch. The Dropkick from the middle rope getting a near fall. Ripley distracted Morgan but Lynch couldn’t follow up, taking a Jawbreaker but Morgan opted instead of attacking her to hit a Suicide Dive onto Ripley on the floor. Lynch hit a Baseball Slide to Morgan, then rolled her in before going up to for a Tope Rope Legdrop for a near fall.
After a commercial break Ripley was in control of Morgan. Roughing up Morgan then hitting Shoulder Thrusts before tagging in Lynch. Morgan countered a Man-Handle Slam, then hit a messy looking attempt at a Float-Over DDT. Ripley and Belair were tagged, as Belair knocked Deville off the apron but took a Ripley Headbutt for her trouble. Belair got the best of some rope running and ducking, bulldozing Ripley down then hitting a Delayed Suplex for a near fall. Ripley powered Belair into the Helel corner, setting her up on top but Belair shoved her down before kicking away Lynch. Deville provided a distraction as Ripley struck and the two hit a Double Team Superplex but Morgan broke the pin up.
Asuka had just been standing on the apron and watching the match go o but finally got tagged in by Belair. Shoulder checking Deville then hitting a Corner Hip Attack. Taking out Ripley with a Head Kick before hitting a German Suplex to Deville. A Sliding Kick got a near fall. Morgan did a blind tag, which set up a cool spot of Devillie being knocked off the apron by an Asuka Hip Attack, and Morgan hit Deville with the Side Codebreaker as she fell down.
Lynch broke up the pin attempt, then took an Asuka Spinning Backfist for her trouble. Ripley shut down Asuka with a Big Boot, but then took a Spinebuster from Belair. Deville sent Belair out, leaving Morgan and Deville to trade Roll-Up attempts. A Running Knee to Morgan only got a near fall. Deville held the ropes to avoid a Side Codebreaker but when she tried to steal a pin with feet on the ropes the ref saw it and refused to count. Yelling at Belair ringside, Deville was distracted and turned around to get nailed with ObLIVion as Morgan scored a big win.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A great main event tag team match with a surprising winner at least in who got the pinfall. However, no mention at all was made of any women’s match on the Raw side for WrestleMania Backlash so it appears the only women’s bout is the I Quit Match between Flair and Rousey. A major disappointment but is it a sign the WWE has lost faith again in Belair to draw as a champion? Ort perhaps more that the WWE has been too busy filling the PLE card up with rematches so there’s little space for other women. Elsewhere there was more drama with the 24/7 title that bored me. But the idea of Nikki A.S.H. dropping the heroine gimmick and being in a serious tag team with fellow Scot Doudrop? That certainly has me interested.
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!