Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! It’s a new year and we’re heading towards the Royal Rumble event. However, we have the curious stop first of a Legends’ Night with some faces from the Divas era said to be appearing. Will this be an unwelcome distraction as we see anyone will step up to take on the Women’s Tag Team Champions, let alone challenge Asuka for the Raw singles title? And who else will make their entry into the Royal Rumble Match known? Let’s get into it, and find out…
CHARLY CARUSO handled interview duties.
There were backstage segments with Divas era faces ALICIA FOX and Hall of Famer TORRIE WILSON (hers featuring NIKKI CROSS) as well as MICKIE JAMES (called a Legend? Damn right she is. Retired? I hope not!) getting advances from Angel Garza.
An earlier today video had SARAH SCHREIBER interview CHARLOTTE FLAIR as Flair declaired for the Royal Rumble Match.
Non-Title Women’s Tag Team Match
LACEY EVANS & PEYTON ROYCE defeated WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions CHARLOTTE FLAIR & Raw Women’s Champion ASUKA w/h Ric Flair
Evans and Royce had a short pop-in interview where they were still not on the same page, and before the bell rang Evans kept waving and pointing at Ric Flair. The commentators claiming Evans was seen being ‘too friendly’ to Ric earlier. Ewwww… Royce and Flair started off but Evans was quickly tagged in after a slam down. Evans kept playing mind games, waving and calling out to Ric which enraged Charlotte as she went for a Figure Four but Evans got to the ropes. A chase around the ring allowed for a bling tag, and the numbers caught up with Charlotte as an Evans hairpull allowed Royce to pound away.
Flair was sent to the corner, vaulting out and catching Royce with a shoulder through the ropes but after leaping through the ropes Royce countered the Roll-up attempt, hitting Charlotte with a knee strike. Taunting Asuka brought her in, distracting the ref as the heels pounded on Flair in their corner before Evans was tagged in. Flair fended off the numbers though, tagging in Asuka who hit a Missile Dropkick to Evans. Royce got tagged in, and Asuka took Evans off the apron with a Hip Attack before confusing Royce with misdirection, leading to Royce getting a Hip Attack in a corner.
Asuka took care of both opponents with a combo Bulldog to Royce and Clothesline to Evans as Royce kicked out at two. Asuka went up to the middle ropes but Royce knocked her down to the floor. On the outside Evans was posing for Ric, leading to getting slapped by Charlotte who questioned her father about it. Evans tackled Charlotte for a brawl as the show went to commerical.
Back from break Asuka was getting choked in the heel corner by Royce as Evans tagged in. Lacey forcing her ‘Lacey the Legend’ hat onto Asuka before slapping her/the hat to send it away before more just shoving her foot into Asuka’s chest than any real choke. Evans applied a Cobra Clutch-like hold to Asuka, and used it to further make eyes at Ric to anger Charlotte some more. Evans controlled with another choke, then raking Asuka along the ropes. Royce was tagged in for yet another foot choke then a rest hold as the show went to another commerical.
Asuka was still in trouble, taking stomps from Evans. Royce was tagged back in and had a rather wicked smile on her face as she measured Asuka, before tossing her out from the corner by the hair. The commentators referring to her know as The Relentless Peyton Royce. I can dig it! A tag to Evans and another rest hold before slamming Asuka’s face in the mat a bunch of times. Royce was tagged but Asuka finally got a break with a Clothesline.
Evans and Flair got tags as Flair took Royce off the apron with a Big Boot and targetted Evan’s knee with a rope-hung Knee Drop, then hitting a round of chops. Evans avoided the Exploder Suplex, backing up as Royce got a blind tag. Flair hit Evans with the Exploder anyway then Royce with a more T-Bone of a throw. Flair tagged Asuka before hitting a Moonsault to both opponents, and Asuka hit a Sliding Kick to Royce but impressively Royce kicked out at two! Royce avoided the German Suplex, and Flair tagged in as Asuka hit the Double Knees setting up Flair as she barely hit Natural Selection. Evans broke up the pin attempt.
Asuka looked to take care of Evans, sending her to the apron but the Hip Attack missed as Evans used a sort of Neckbreaker looking move to drag Asuka down. Evans applied her charms again to Ric, grabbing him by the tie but thankfully Charlotte used a Baseball Slide before any of us had to lose our lunch. Evans was sent in and distracted the ref as Royce missed the Roundhouse Kick, but when Charlotte ran the ropes her father tripped her up, showing Evans’ charms had worked. Royce pounced with a Crucifix Pin to steal it and get the huge win! After the match Evans laid a big smooch onto Ric’s cheek but he looked like he realised he screwed up. Charlotte yelling at him to stay out of her business.
MANDY ROSE headed to the ring for a match, but her opponent SHAYNA BASZLER attacked her as she headed to the ring. Sending Rose into the barricade a few times. DANA BROOKE ran down to check on Rose, and then even in not exactly ring gear dared Baszler to face her.
Women’s Singles Match
DANA BROOKE defeated SHAYNA BASZLER
Baszler kick some kicks, then tried to send Brooke out but got tossed herself. Getting back in Brooke went for her finisher but Baszler slipped behind and locked on the Clutch. Brooke impressively countered in a Cradle pin and with Baszler still applying the hold Brooke got the pin!
However Baszler refused to break the Clutch, keeping Brooke in pain. Until Rose charged in with a Knee Strike to break it, and Baszler then took a Double Team Flapjack from the Sexy Muscle Friends to leave then standing tall as Baszler was left furious.
MOLLY HOLLY (incorrectly listed as a Hall of Famer. She isn’t in there, yet.) was briefly seen backstage with IRS and Ric Flair. MELINA was also in a brief backstage segment.
Final Thoughts:
A good tag match with some curious antics with Ric Flair, but harmless enough. Surely we’ll get a tag title match with Royce and Evans against Asuka and Flair now, but will that take place at the Rumble considering Flair will be in the Rumble match itself? Royce looked very strong, kicking out of big moves and then stealing the win. And I’m not mad about the short singles match as it did its job – Baszler more concerned with hurting people than winning, and it came back to haunt her. Effectively done. The legends segments were all forgettable. What was even the point of them? Hopefully they were all at least paid well.
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!