Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! The WWE has become determined to get Lana over as an underdog babyface. Alligning her with Raw Women’s Champion Asuka for a feud against the Women’s Tag Team Champions. Lana has been continuing to coast on getting victories off the work that others have done, but will that be enough to steal the tag straps off the dominating tag team? And will there be more from the fallout of Reckoning losing her first official match in WWE? Let’s get into it, and find out…
Non-Title Singles Match
Raw Women’s Champion ASUKA w/h LANA defeated Women’s Tag Team Champion SHAYNA BASZLER w/h Women’s Tag Team Champion NIA JAX
Before the match, it was made official that Asuka and Lana would get a tag title shot at the TLC event, with Asuka’s title not on the line. There was a brief promo with Jax and Baszler as Jax surprisingly hyped up her partner for once. Jax vowing to make Lana’s face hideous but a really odd line about Lana’s “boobs on her back”.
Asuka went for the Ankle Lock early but Baszler counted, looking for a Heel Hook but Asuka countered with one of her own as the two traded holds. Baszler powered out and hit a high Back Suplex that made Asuka roll to the floor. The heels decking respective rivals on the floor. Back from commercial Baszler was in control, targetting the arm with a grounded submission as Lana played cheerleader. Asuka managed to counter for a pin for a near fall, but Baszler soon kept control with a round of kicks. Until Asuka ducked a shot and hit her Ankle-Hook German Suplex.
Asuka hit the Jumping Facebuster, and soon after tried for the Flying Armbar leading to a Clutch counter by Baszler but Asuka fought out of that, trying for the Asuka Lock. Jax, probably being bored, just decked Lana from behind on the outside. It distracted Asuka as Baszler decked her, but Jax trying to hurt Lana more backfired as Lana escaped to shove Jax into the ringpost. Lana of all things managed to jump off the steps and got a Headscissors to send Jax into the announce table. All that distracted Baszler as a ROLL UP OF DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! allowed Asuka to sneak the victory.
Mixed Tag Team Match
DANA BROOKE & Ricochet defeated Retribution [RECKONING & Slapjack] w/h Mustafa Ali
Before the bout SARAH SCHREIBER got a word with the faces, Brooke as she put herself with her work ethic, vowing to slap Ali again if he messed with them. Reckoning had brief words too in a cut-in promo. Reckoning had a new, thicker mask as well to prevent it falling off no doubt.
The women started first, excanging slaps and then mount punches with nice fury. Reckoning getting a Big Boot in the corner, but then Brooke got an Enzigiri before she mad the tag out as the men went at it for a short while. Reckoning got the tag, and got a Running Dropkick. However, Reckoning was distracted by Ali yelling at him and that allowed Brooke to hit her Swinging Sitout Samoan Drop for the win! The faces posing on the stage as Ali yelled at his team, walking away from them again for the second week in a row.
Backstage, Asuka hyped up Lana. But her confidence faded quick when Asuka left and Nia Jax showed up.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I get it. There’s only a couple weeks before the TLC event so they need a short feud. So it’s either being mad about Asuka in a rushed feud or mad that she’s not defending her singles title. It’s still hard to be excited about it but once TLC is out of the way the build will likely start off towards Royal Rumble season.
I’m a big fan of Dana Brooke and I’m happy to see her pick up some momentum and wins. It sucks for Reckoning as the WWE seems to be giving up on her and her stable already, but hopefully she can bounce back from that. And at least this week her mask stayed on!
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!