Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! We’re heading towards Extreme Rules and the clash between Asuka and Sasha Banks for the Raw Women’s Championship. Before then, Asuka must face the other half of the Women’s Tag Team Champions in the unstoppable Smackdown Women’s Champion Bayley. Who will emerge on top? And what of the drama that surrounds Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan? Let’s get into it, and find out…
BAYLEY and SASHA BANKS came to the ring to brag about all their new nicknames and themselves. ASUKA eventually interrupted mocking Banks and telling Bayley she isn’t ready. Banks however didn’t seems to appreciate the fact Bayley spoke on her behalf when Bayley said Banks was ready for anything, and when KAIRI SANE made her return Banks’ mood got even worse.
Women’s Singles Match
KAIRI SANE (w/h Raw Women’s Champion ASUKA) defeated WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion SASHA BANKS (w/h Smackdown Women’s & WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion BAYLEY) by DQ
Both respective tag partners were ringside. Banks pummeling Sane to start before Sane came back with open handed chops. A Headscissors and Dropkick got Sane got a two count. Controlling with a Japanese Stranglehold but Banks fought up and countered into one of her own. Sane soon applied an Octopus Hold and got a two count off of a Roll-up from it.
Banks taunted her rival, choking Sane on the ropes for Asuka to watch. Asuka then shoving Bayley on the floor which distracted Banks, as Sane sent her to the floor and hit both Tag Champs with a Baseball Slide. After a commercial Sane rallied with strikes but was shut down by a Backbreaker for a two count. Banks hit the Double Knee Drop in the corner spot for another near fall. Banks worked over Sane between the ropes, but later when she tried for the Double Knees Sane avoided. Coming back with an Axe Kick to Banks through the ropes.
Sane came off the top rope with a Forearm Strike for a near all. Sane hit two Blockbusters in a row then the Interceptor Spear, and the Sliding D in the corner for a near fall. The women traded pinholds before Banks hit a Meteora to a kneeling Sane for a near fall. Banks hit a Meteora to Sane’s back in the corner, but a top rope move hit nothing. Sane slid through the legs and applied a high angle Texas Cloverleaf but Bayley ran in, hitting a Running Knee Strike to Sane to cause the DQ. Asuka then brawled with Banks and Bayley on the outside before Sane came off the rop to hit an Insane Elbow on the Tag Champs.
CHARLY CARUSO handled interview duties. included interviewing The Kabuki Warriors who challenged Bayley and Banks to a Women’s Tag Team Championship match for next week.
ZELINA VEGA tried to get her troops together. She’d be in their corner for a six-man tag team match.
THE IICONICS mocked Ruby Riott backstage until RUBY RIOTT herself appeared and vowed to mke the Aussie duo ‘tragic’.
Women’s Singles Match
BILLIE KAY (w/h PEYTON ROYCE) defeated RUBY RIOTT
Riott stomped on Royce’s hand as she slapped the apron and hit some strikes before the Shades of Kay boot shut Riott down for a near fall. Riott got stomped then choked in the corner, but Kay hit her Side Suplex for a two count. Kay locked on a Bow and Arrow hold but Riott escaped to get a near fall. Riott captured Kay’s head with a vault back, sending Kay’s head to the middle buckle. Riott went up but Royce distracted, getting knocked down for her trouble. The distraction allowed Kay to hit an Eat Defeat from the corner, then a Sit-out Spinebuster from an Exploder clutch for the win. Kay taunted Riott as she held up and waved what looked like green extensions from Riott’s hair.
Backstage Bayley seemed unhappy when Banks accepted the challenge from The Kabuki Warriors on their behalf.
Non-Title Champion Versus Champion Match
Raw Women’s Champion ASUKA (w/h KAIRI SANE) defeated Smackdown Women’s & Women’s Tag Team Champion BAYLEY (w/h Women’s Tag Team Champion SASHA BANKS)
NIKKI CROSS from Smackdown, who will be Bayley’s Extreme Rules opponent, had invitied herself to commentary and got into some verbal yelling with Bayley and Banks. Bayley started with cheap strikes but Asuka came back with a knockdown. Trying early for an Arm Bar but Bayley bailed, and she was able to counter a Baseball Slide to swing Asuka around to hit a Running Knee Strike. Bayley then pie-faced Cross, and Cross tried to get her but two security guards blocked it. Carrying Cross away from ringside. Meanwhile Bayley lept into a high Knee Strike off the apron from Asuka.
Back from commerical Askua worked over the arm, hitting a Hip Toss then a kick to the back but Bayley used a trip to get control back. Bayley hit rapid moves but could only get a one count off them. Banks tried to get a cheap shot on Asuka but Sane stopped it, before Asuka avoided a Sliding Dropkick over the aprons at a corner to hit a Roundhouse Kick to Bayley. In the ring Asuka continued the kicking attack with a Sliding Kick to the back to get a near fall.
Asuka hit a Missile Dropkick off the middle ropes for a two count. After running around the ring, Bayley caught Asuke coming back in and hit a Slingshot on the bottom rope. Then another to the middle rope when Asuka was on the lowest cable for a two count. On the outside Bayley hit Asuka with a Flapjack to drop her onto the announce table, before bragging on Cross’ headset about how she was serving it up.
Back from commerical (Yes, this match went long!) Bayley was in control. Choking Asuka on the ropes so Banks could taunt her. Asuka tried fighting back but Bayley smothered the fight back. Bayley paid for mocking Asuka’s dancing as she fought back, hitting a Codebreaker as Sane rallied the ‘crowd’. Dropkick and Pop-up Knee Strike followed, then the Hip Attack in the corner and a German Suplex. A Running Hip Attack to a kneeling Bayley got a near fall. Asuka tried for another Hip Attack to Bayley on the apron but Bayley grabbed her, but was unable to follow up. Soon after Asuka hitting a Spinning Backfist and that set up the Running Hip Attack to send Bayley off the apron.
Bayley caught a Running Kick along the apron and countered to slam Asuka down, but was cught herself moments later with a kick through the ropes. A Top Rope Missile Dropkick by Asuka got a near fall. Back on the apron Bayley used a Hotshot to send Asuka into the top turnbuckle, then hitting a Knee Strike into the barricade. Bayley took a cheap shot to Bayley on the outside and it baited Sane in to distract the ref, allowing Banks to hit her High Knee to Asuka then Bayley planting with a Saito Suplex but Asuka still managed to kick out.
Banks grabbed some water so Bayley could soak Asuka with it. Nikki Cross reappeared to slam the barricade plexiglass to distract, and Asuka pulled Bayley back into the ring into the Asuka Lock. Sane ran in and hit the Interceptor Spear to take care of Banks, and Asuka used a sit-down pin to beat the Smackdown Women’s Champion.
Final Thoughts:
Wow. One of the best matches in the women’s division in months, and dare I say perhaps all year. Asuka and Bayley delivered with a match that got time, was well worked and had plenty of moments. Along with doing the job to hype two title matches for Extreme Rules and one to come next week on Raw. Fantastic stuff from everyone involved! Sane and Banks also had a fine match, and they made the most of their more modest in ring time together. Considering rumours that Sane may be departing WWE soon, the long awaited match between these two finally happened when it easily could have been a missed chance. Elsewhere, Riott loses again and The IIconics look strong. Is this Riott storyline leading anywhere? And we haven’t seen Natalya or Lana (well, no loss on half of that duo not being seen and I’m not talking about Natalya) either so already this storyline is a total mess. Just as well the championship picture is more than making up for it.
That’s your lot for this week! Be sure to stop by next week as we have all the fallout from Extreme Rules with the next edition of the RAW RECAP! See you then!