Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! The WWE Draft is in full swing, and has already seen the major shifts of Charlotte Flair, the reigning Raw Women’s Champion, drafted to Smackdown. While the former Smackdown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair has been brought over to Raw. Along with the Women’s Tag Team Champions Nikki A.S.H. and Rhea Ripley remaining on Raw, along with other moves between the brands. So who will stay and who will go as the draft concludes on Raw? Let’s get into it, and find out…
Raw kicked off with Smackdown Women’s Champion BECKY LYNCH marching to the ring. Bragging that, before the announcement was officially made, that Lynch was the first pick for Raw in round one. When Lynch said she might consider being Becky Two Belts again CHARLOTTE FLAIR came out for some standard Flair bad mouthing and put-downs. Thankfully new Raw roster member BIANCA BELAIR then came out and mocked Flair for showing up to a show she isn’t on anymore. Lynch managed to manipulate things and lured Flair and Belair into facing one another tonight. The Suit Patrol of SONYA DEVILLE and Adam Pierce came out to stop the bickering and made a few matches official, including Flair versus Belair.
In the First Round of Night Two of the draft, it was made official that Becky Lynch was drafted to Raw. Smackdown drafted SASHA BANKS.
SARAH SCHREIBER handled interview duties.
Women’s Singles Match
SHAYNA BASZLER defeated DANA BROOKE
There was a recap of Baszler’s recent arm snapping attacks, and despite the cheers last week it was more painted this week that Baszler was a clear heel. Brooke tried going after the arm, attacking Baszler in the former but Baszler came back with a Reverse DDT into a Backbreaker. After a hard corner whip, Baszler tried for the Arm Stomp but Brooke countered with a roll up for a two count. Baszler went for an Arm Bar, then turned it into the Clutch for the win in a quick match.
After the match, Baszler looked to make Brooke her next victim with a steps stomp but DOUDROP came out to make Baszler back off.
Shayna Bazler was drafted to Smackdown in the Third Round. NXT’s XIA LI also got a call-up, being drafted to Smackdown as well.
Women’s Tag Team Championship Match
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions NIKKI A.S.H. & RHEA RIPLEY defeated NATALYA & TAMINA
The champs had a cut in promo, where Ripley almost corpsed from ASH’s over the top antics.
Natalya and ASH started off as Natalya rammed ASH into three different corners, but ASH came back with a couple of Low Dropkicks. ASH took the fight to Natalya on the floor, but was lured into a trap as when Natalya rolled back in she tagged Tamina, setting up Tamina hitting an elevated boot to the chest to stomp ASH down. ASH was roughed up with corner strikes and hair throws, but ASH countered a Samoan Drop into a Sleeper before being thrown off. ASH was dropped with a Superkick for a near fall as Ripley broke the pin up.
Natalya tried for Shapshooter but ASH countered with a Small Package for a two count, then broke free to tag Ripley in. Ripley took Tamina off the apron with a Dropkick, then ducked a Discus Clothesline attempt as she hit the familiar Short-Arm Clotheslines into the Ripcord Headbutt combo. A Snapmare set up the Low Dropkick but Ripley missed a corner charge. That allowed Natalya to perform the rope-bounce Atomic Toss, getting the run over Stomp but Ripley avoided the Running Dropkick.
The Alicia Fox Suplex by Ripley was broken up by Tamina, who dragged her partner over to force a tag but Ripley knocked her off the apron anyway to allow ASH to hit both opponents with a Crossbody off the top to the floor. After sending Tamina back in, Ripley hit a Riptide before tagging in ASH. Hoisting ASH up, eventually, into the Electric Chair position to then dump her down onto Tamina for a Splash and getting the win.
In the Fifth Round of the Draft, Raw drafted ALEXA BLISS.
In the Sixth and Final Round of televised picks, CARMELLA was drafted to Raw.
Women’s Non-Title Match
Raw Women’s Champion CHARLOTTE FLAIR versus BIANCA BELAIR ended in no contest.
Becky Lynch joined commentary and bragged about making this match. Flair got a Headlock before the takeover was countered in a Headscissors as Lynch rambled about poetry about Sasha Banks, before the two women in the ring traded back the basic holds. Flair used a hair pull before two did fancy flips before Flair caught a Low Dropkick for control. More flips followed with Belair taunting Flair with butt smacks, goading her in to hit a Dropkick. But taunting too much almost made Belair pay as Flair snuck a roll-up for barely a two count.
Flair did the corner vault to the apron, catching Belair with a Shoulder Thrust through the ropes then pulling her out to the apron. The two blocked Suplex attempts before Flair did a Backbreaker followed up by an Eye of the Hurricane to send Belair down across the apron. Flair tossed Belair over the carrier into the timekeeper’s position as the show went to commercial. Back from it, Belair avoided a Queen’s Boot, hitting a Dropkick then a Delayed Suplex for a two count.
Belair went for the Handspring Moonsault but Flair brought the knees up. Flair levelled some chops then shut Belair down with a Clothesline. An impressive muscling up counter to a Small Package of a Powerbomb by Flair followed for a near fall. Belair managed to pull her head back to avoid Natural Selection, and then went for KOD but Flair escaped to hit a Spear for a two count. Belair avoided the Kneedrop spot in the corner, then hit a botched Spinebuster with a stacked pin for a two count.
Belair went up top but Flair threw herself onto the ropes to send Belair off balance, leaving her easy pickings for a Queen’s Boot to send her down into the ring. Flair did the Ibushi double Moonsault spot but Belair kicked out at two. Belair countered the Figure Four with a Small Package for a near fall, then dropped Flair with the KOD. However, Lynch pulled Belair out of the ring when she went for the cover, sending her ingot the ring steps to end the match.
Lynch hit a Bexploder into the barrier to Belair, then hit a Man-Handle Slam to Belair in the ring. Sasha Banks then attacked from behind, hitting Meteoras to both Crown Jewel opponents in opposite corners, then dropping Lynch with a Backstabber to stand tall as the show went off the air.
Following Raw on the Raw Talk show, it was announced that Liv Morgan, Dana Brooke, NXT’s Mia Yim (formerly Reckoning), Tamina and Tegan Nox would be drafted to Raw. Smackdown receives Natalya and Shotzi.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Things are quite the mess with champions on the other brand than the title they actually hold. One wonders if there will be title changes or if the WWE will just have the champs swap belts to Lynch (if she’s still champion after Crowd Jewel) will get the red belt and Flair is given the blue one. Regardless it will be a welcome freshness to no longer have Flair dominating the title scene on Raw (sorry for your future suffering Smackdown fans!). We’ll wait and see how Lynch deals with the new line-up of Raw since so many dominant names of the division are now over on Smackdown like Banks and Flair. Also, as if it wasn’t clear enough about how little the WWE cares about the Women’s ag Titles the draft split up the only two other teams the company had on the main roster in the former champs and the duo of Nox and Shotzi who never even got their fair crack at the titles. Sigh.
That’s your lot for this week! Be sure to stop by in seven days for the next edition of the RAW RECAP! see you then!
