Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! Money in the Bank is in this history books and it saw Smackdown’s Iyo Sky secure the briefcase to become Miss Money in the Bank. While a shocking turn of events saw Shayna Baszler turn her back on long-time MMA Four Horsewoman partner Ronda Rousey to give Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez the Women’s Tag Team Championships. What will the fallout be from MITB as we head towards Summerslam? And will Natalya turn her recent luck around as she gets a Women’s World Championship opportunity against Rhea Ripley? Let’s get into it, and find out…
RHEA RIPLEY and The Judgement Day confronted Seth Rollins as Ripley claimed the group was fine, and eventually put Mysterio into a match against Rollins on the show. She and Mysterio stayed at ringside as Priest defeated Shinsuke Nakamura.
RONDA ROUSEY went to the ring but couldn’t get a word out as SHAYNA BASZLER interrupted and instantly was in babyface mode, saying she spoke for everyone saying they were sick of hearing Rousey speaking. Rousey was fuming, demanding an answer for why ten years of friendship was broken up. Baszler got mad when Rousey said that Baszler owed her that, claiming to be the only reason why Rousey was in WWE and she owed the people an apology for that. Baszler was getting pops for every sentence, pointing out how she had to claw her way up to the WWE the hard way while Rousey was gifted her chances. Calling herself the ‘sobering reality’ that she was the one woman who could shut Rousey up.
That led to a brawl as Rousey kicked Baszler off the apron and got shots in at ringside. Sending Baszler in to lock on a version of the Clutch before Baszler countered and used an Ankle Lock on her former friend. The ropes offering no escape so Rousey had to kick her new rival away, only to get a V-Trigger-like knee on the ropes. Rousey yelling for Baszler to get back to the ring but Baszler was done with her statement made as she headed to the back.
MAXXINE DUPRI was practising Headlocks with Alpha Academy, as Durpi was called The Alpha Queen.
Women’s Team Tag Turmoil Match – Number One Contendership Match for the Women’s Tag Team Championships
CHELSEA GREEN & SONYA DEVILLE defeated CANDICE LERAE & INDI HARTWELL, DANA BROOKE & TEGAN NOX, EMMA & NIKKI CROSS, & KATANA CHANCE & KAYDEN CARTER
LIV MORGAN and RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ came out before the match to watch from ringside. An earlier today video showing LeRae turning down Cross much to her sadness before Emma pounced, but for their entrance the roles were reversed with Cross being her usual insane self and Emma freaked out. All the other teams were ringside while Green started off for her team against Hartwell, as Hartwell fended off both opponents with strikes, a Side Slam to Deville and a Clothesline to Green. Moments later Hartwell hit a Gutbuster over her knee to hold the position as LeRae hit a very unsafe-looking Flip Neckbreaker as Green broke the pin up.
Green took out Hartwell with a Superkick before LeRae dumped her out, then LeRae hit the Step-up Senton on Deville but missed the Lionsault. Green tagged in, hitting the I’m Prettier to set up Deville’s Running Knee. Deville forgot who was legal as both went for the pin but Green got the fall.
Cross’ music hit to signal her team was next as Cross raced in, decking both heels and clobbering on Green. But Cross saw that LeRae, the long running target of a failed friendship, was hurting at ringside so tagged out to check on her. Emma hitting a Running Kick for a nearfall on Green before driving her head into the corner a hat trick of times then hitting a Suplex for a two count. Emma used hair moves and then later the Emma-mite Sandwich on Green but Deville pulled her off from the pin. Emma decked Deville but the distraction allowed Green to hit a punch then a Russian Leg Sweep. Cross was still having a mental breakdown at ringside so wasn’t there for the tag. Leaving Emma open to take an I’m Prettier from Green then the Deville Knee Strike to eliminate the unlikely duo.
Brooke and Nox were next in, as Nox (having her first match on Raw since being Drafted) hit a big Dropkick to set up Running Back Elbows. Putting Green in her team’s corner to tag Brooke for a Double Team Front Suplex before the faces (barely) hit Baseball Slides as the show went into in-picture for adverts. Which sucked because Nox and Brooke got eliminated DURING the commercials!! Sigh…
Double KC were the final team in as the teams fired off strikes. Eventually settling to Carter who hit a low kick after Deville ducked a first one to get a two count. Chance was tagged in as the faces went for the double Springboard spot but Chance slipped, almost going through the ropes so followed up a few seconds late with her Moonsault after Carter had already hit the Legdrop. Deville shoved Chance into the ropes to catch a break, leading to a tag to Green as the heels hit a Delayed Double Team Suplex with Green hitting an Elbow Drop to get a near fall.
Moments later, a wild spot saw Carter’s sitting on the top rope with Green on her shoulders as Chance snapped off a Frankenscreamer! But Deville broke up the pin. Moments later, Carter got the tag but Deville shoved Chance off the top to block The Afterparty. Leading to Deville hitting a cheap shot punch that the ref didn’t see to set up I’m Prettier as Green got the win. Deville and Green managing to run the table and eliminate all the other teams to become the Number One Contenders. The Champions confronted their new challengers but the heels backed away.
BECKY LYNCH went to the ring for a promo. Admitting she didn’t win Money in the Bank but quickly moved on, saying she wanted to end things with Trish Stratus here tonight. TRISH STRATUS and ZOEY STARK coming out as Stratus had on the same ‘face protector’ mask she wore for a run during the Divas era! Stratus mocking the fans and claiming she wasn’t medically cleared to compete because of her face. Lynch had no regrets and then challenged Stark for a fight. Lynch tried to drive a wedge between the heels but Stratus brushed it off, so Lynch pointed out Stratus needed Stark’s help to beat her. It led to more insult trading before Stratus faked out sending Stark down, before saying the match would happen between Stark and Lynch next week.
JACKIE REDMOND (who has been the studio host for WWE PLE pre-shows) handled interview duties.
Six-Person Mixed Tag Team Match
Alpha Academy (MAXXINE DUPRI, Chad Gable & Otis) Vs The Viking Raiders (VALHALLA, Erik & Ivar)
The men started off first. Eventually the women were tagged as Dupri hit her Arm Drags then a Suplex. Dupri hit a corner Splash but trying to perform a version of Otis’ Caterpillar it allowed Valhalla to get up and hit a Knee Strike. Moments later Durpi jumped to avoid a corner charge, rolling down into a Sunset Flip to get the upset victory in her in-ring debut!
Women’s World Championship Match
Women’s World Champion RHEA RIPLEY defeated NATALYA
Natalya got a measure of revenge with a sneak attack, something out of Ripley’s playbook, during Ripley’s entrance. Hitting clubbing blows and sending Ripley into the barricade and the ring steps. Sending Ripley into the ring and despite the attack, the referee allowed the match to start. Natalya going on the same attack with clubbing shots and taking down Ripley to deliver more. Ripley having to scramble to get to the ropes to escape The Sharpshooter before bailing to the floor. Natalya went after her, only to get socked with a big punch to deck her.
Ripley slammed Natalya into the announce table a trio of times, but back in the ring Natalya hit a Release German Suplex. Ripley targeted Natalya’s back with kidney shots. Moments later, Ripley used her legs to capture Natalya as she charged in to deliver a Headbutt at close range for a nearfall. Working over the back again with drop downs with her body then a punt kick to the stomach. Natalya tried to fight back with wild strikes but Ripley cut her off. Natalya managed to block a Superplex attempt, hitting a Headbutt to send Ripley down before in a rare moment taking to the air to hit a Crossbody!
Again Natalya went for more punches, just to be cut off as Ripley hit a kick, setting up driving Natalya’s face over her knee then hitting the Running Low Dropkick for a two count. After commercials, Natalya tried for The Sharpshooter but got shoved away before Ripley nailed her with a thunderous low counter kick. Ripley went for a Powerbomb but Natalya countered with a Headscissors before hitting the Discus Clothesline for a two count. Ripley countered a Sharpshooter with a Small Package for a near fall. Ripley took to the air with a Missile Dropkick for a two count.
A Head Kick by Ripley set up the Prism Lock, but Natalya managed to scramble and counter with a roll through to send Ripley into the corner. Only for Ripley to return the favour, blocking a Sharpshooter by hauling Natalya over and into the same corner. Ripley took too much time posing and shimmying in tribute to her Dom Dom, so when she went for a Frog Splash Natalya brought her feet up to nail Ripley in the face. Ripley missed a corner charge, hitting the ring post before Natalya hit a Powerslam in tribute to her family before finally applying The Sharpshooter but Ripley managed to power her way to the ropes.
A Baseball Slide by Natalya missed, and when she climbed through the ropes Ripley hit a kick to set up a Headbutt. Muscling up Natalya to hit Riptide and retain the gold.
After the match Ripley assaulted Natalya some more, but Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez ran out to chase her away. The cameras specifically focusing on Rodriguez as she stared down at Ripley as she grinned and left ringside.
Backstage Ripley was confronted by Smackdown’s IYO SKY who showed off her Money in the Bank briefcase, to which Ripley warned her it would be the biggest mistake of her life. Being comforted by the other Judgement Day members Ripley ranted about Morgan and Rodriguez getting involved in her business and vowed to make them, especially Rodriguez, regret it.
Ripley accompanied Dominiki Mysterio as he faced Seth Rollins. But after Damien Priest interfered and the match was thrown out, drama happened within The Judgement Day as Finn Balor getting in shots allowed Seth to escape.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A whole lot of women featured on the show today but you can’t really say it was such a good thing with there was quick eliminations in the Turmoil Match, including one that ‘aired’ during a commercial break. Plus, with it looking like that Rodriguez is the next singles challenger to Ripley, why go to the trouble of making tag titles have challengers I the focus is on the singles titles. Wait… Didn’t Sasha Banks and Naomi quit over something similar to this? At the very least Green and Deville finally get some wins but will that matter if they can’t get the tag titles?
Natalya and Ripley put on a really great match, giving Ripley the solid title match she’s desperately been needing for a long while. Elsewhere Lynch and Stratus traded more insults to keep their feud going. While Maxxine Dupri showed she’s still got a long way to go but might have some potential yet to succeed. And I can’t recall a crowd being so behind a face turn like we’ve seen in Baszler in a long time! It will be interesting to see if that momentum stays high for this new feud.
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!