Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! The two night, fanless WrestleMania is now in the history books with new champions and retaining title holders. Becky Lynch and Bayley retained their Raw and Smackdown titles respectively. While Charlotte Flair captured the NXT Women’s Championship, and Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross claimed the Women’s Tag Team Championships. Now it’s time for the always eventful Raw After Mania which usually has surprises ranging from returns to main roster debuts for NXT talents. Who will we see appear on the show? Who will stake their claim as we head into the new WWE calender year? Let’s get into it, and find out…
Women’s Singles Match
ASUKA defeated LIV MORGAN
The now former Tag Team Champion Asuka was without Kairi Sane at ringside. Asuka started mouthing off in her native tongue, leading to a lock-up to push Morgan to the ropes. Morgan tried for a Roll-Up when Asuka backed off, but Asuka blocked it and stomped away at Morgan. Morgan managed to pepper with some strikes but Asuka soon shut her down with a Running Hip Attack. An impressive Matrix dodge from Morgan avoided a Roundhouse Kick and got a two count off a Roll-Up.
Morgan hit a Headscissors then a Double Springboard Dropkick out of the corner soon after to send Asuka out of the ring. When Asuka sent Morgan back in, Morgan countered to push back with the ropes for a Headscissors to the floor. A nasty Big Boot to the face from Asuka soon shut Morgan down. Back from commercial Asuka stomped away and had control of the arm. The Pop-up Knee only got Asuka two count. Asuka cockily just facewashed Morgan with her foot, and Morgan almost made her pay with a sudden Roll-Up into a Jackknife Pin for a near fall.
Morgan held the arm, and hit a Springboard Codebreaker but couldn’t follow up for a pin attempt. Morgan went into House on Fire mode with Clotheslines, a Facebuster and a Step-Up Enzigiri that set up Morgan hitting a Double Stomp to Asuka’s back as she was at the corner. It only got a near fall however, and soon after Asuka caught Morgan with an Armbar but Morgan rolled over for a pin to get a two count. Asuka nailed a big German Suplex then a Sliding Kick but Morgan got a foot on the ropes.
Morgan went for her Rope-Rebound Flatliner but Asuka dodged, locking on the Asuka Lock but again Morgan rolled over for a pin attempt. This time Asuka kicked out and still held on, eventually Arm Dragging Morgan over to properly lock it in to get the submission win over a very impressive Morgan.
A recap video of Becky Lynch versus Shayna Baszler aired. Then an interview as CHARLY CARUSO spoke to BECKY LYNCH as The Man bragged about holding the title for a year. Lynch dismissed the idea that her counter to Baszler’s Clutch was a last gasp move. Lynch uncharacteristically put over Baszler as a great opponent, before she seemed to dare Baszler to come and challenger again. SHAYNA BASZLER was also shown deeply frustrated as she repeated the same phrase again before promising to make Lynch feel the agony of her defeat.
ZELINA VEGA‘s attempt to interfere and help her men Austin Theory and Angel Garza steal the Raw Tag Team Championships from The Street Profits backfired as the referee caught Vega clutching onto Montez Ford’s leg, calling for a DQ. This brought out BIANCA BELAIR similar to Night Two of WrestleMania. Taking out Vega with a Spinebuster, before Belair announced herself now as a Raw roster member and the ‘EST of WWE’ as she challenged Vega to a match.
Women’s Singles Match
BIANCA BELAIR defeated ZELINA VEGA by DQ
Belair easily overpowered Vega to start with, toying with a Headlock spot before running down Vega with some shoulder tackles. A slap by Vega left Belair furious as she hit strikes then tossed Vega about leading to a deep Shoulder Tackle but a running charge only ate turnbuckle. Vega followed with a Boot in the corner, then a rope-aided Crucifix Choke. A couple strikes and a low DDT got a near fall.
Belair powered out from a rest hold to hit a Suplex, then catching a Crossbody attempt to hit a Military Press. However going to the ropes Theory got to the apron to block, leading to a brawl as the men spilled into the ring to make the ref call for a DQ. Ford then demanded a 6-Person Tag Match as he openly stated (as the announcers already have) that Belair is his wife.
Six-Person Tag Team Match
Bianca Belair & The Street Profits defeat Zelina Vega, Austin Theory & Angel Garza
The men started things off. Belair got the tag, and hit a Backbreaker followed by a less than perfect Gutbuster. She made quick amends with a Handspring that sent boots to Theory to knock him off the apron before hitting a Moonsault to Vega. The pin broken up by Garza. After some fighting and brawling by the men, Belair hit Vega with a Glamslam into the corner then her KOD finisher for the win.
The WWE aired a post-match video where Lashley stated that he was considering new management ‘or a new wife’ and LANA appeared, having no idea what her husband had just said.
Women’s Singles Match
NIA JAX defeated DEONNA PURRANNO
NXT’s Purranno actually got an entrance for the return after a year off injured for Jax. Jax hit a Clothesline and heeled things up draggon Purranno by the hair for a bit then hitting a couple of Short-Arm Clotheslines then more hail dragging and another Short-Arm. Then a Samoan Drop before Jax hit the RamPaige DDT formerly used by retired superstar Paige for the squash win.
CHARLOTTE FLAIR‘s NXT Women’s Championship victory over Rhea Ripley was showcased, before Flair was interviewed in a post-match interview, just bragging.
SARAH SCHREIBER interviewed Drew McIntyre.
Final Thoughts:
Back to business as usual (but thankfully not wrecklessly hurting an opponent) for Jax who is back in Heel mode. Likely setting up a future showdown with Lynch. Meanwhile the WWE is already sowing seeds for a rematch between Lynch and Baszler. We’ll see if the WWE adds on an expected Submission Rules stipulation to that rematch.
Morgan got a gutsy performance against Asuka, and looked very good in the match but she still lost against Asuka who lets face it doesn’t ever need any comeback win. Hopefully this sparks something of a push for Morgan even in defeat as we head towards Money in the Bank. Belair getting spotlight moments but was clunky at times perhaps with first main roster nerves. It wasn’t a stellar, stand out debut so we’ll need to see better from her going forward. And I’m not thrilled that we’ll see round two of Lana wife drama after so much of it last year. All in all this wasn’t the most standout for women in terms of Raw After Mania but we got multiple women’s matches on the show and solid moments which is nothing to be sniffed at. We can only speculate if things might have been different if world events didn’t render the WWE into the fanless state of affairs.
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!