Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLUTION! We’re weeks away from the Royal Rumble and there’s yet to be any confirmed entrants for that all-important match. But we will finally see Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley in action on Raw, going into a mismatch against relative rookie opponent Maxxine Dupri. What else will we see with such a distance still to go before the next Premium Live Event? Let’s get into it, and find out…
RHEA RIPLEY backstage in The Judgement Day’s ‘clubhouse’ was less than thrilled with the losses from the past week for her team. She stood up to ‘leader’ Damien Priest’s rant and claimed she would use Maxxine Dupri to make an example out of her to send a message to the division.
MAXXINE DUPRI would get a pep talk from The Alpha Academy, IVY NILE and The Creed Brothers.
Non-Title Match
Women’s World Champion RHEA RIPLEY defeated MAXXINE DUPRI w/h IVY NILE
Dupri ducked two lock-up attempts and then hit a slap. Ripley clobbered Dupri with a trio of Short-Arm Clotheslines, before (likely due to Dupri’s inexperience) a Powerbomb spot got intentionally sangbagged before Dupri hit a messy counter of a Headscissors to barely send Ripley to a corner. Dupri hit a Dropkick to knock Ripley slightly back, then managed to dodge a couple shots before Ripley finally decked her with a Big Boot.
Ripley hit the Riptide (and again didn’t get much hight with Dupri not jumping enough) before she badmouthed Dupri, then locked in the Prysm Trap deep for the tapout win.
After the match Ivy Nile got onto the apron to make Ripley break the hold, and the two had a face off before Ripley backed away.
VALHALLA accompanied Ivar as he lost to Bronson Reed.
Tag Team Match
KATANA CHANCE & KAYDEN CARTER defeated CANDICE LERAE & INDI HARTWELL
Women’s Tag Team Champions CHELSEA GREEN and PIPER NIVEN were again doing guest commentary. Hartwell and Carter started off with Hartwell getting a Headlock then a Shoulder Knockdown. Hartwell taunted Carter by doing a version of her entrance dance but Carter grabbed a leg to stop her running the ropes. Using a trip when a Dropkick. At her team’s corner, Carter hit a Splash and Chance tagged in to lead to a quick series of a Baseball Slide trip, a Sliding Kick from Carter then a vault in Senton by Chance.
Moments later, Chance vaulted over the ropes to bounce off and back from Carter and hit a Headscissors to Hartwell. A tag in that sequence by Double KC and Hartwell tagging out from the momentum led to a Big Boot to Chance by Hartwell then a Superkick from Carter to Hartwell. LeRae swept away Carter’s leg then hit the Step-up Senton but barely got a count of one. Backstage NATALYA and TEGAN NOX were seen watching the match while LeRae hit a Back Elbow and tagged in Hartwell. A double team of a Gutbuster of sorts by Hartwell to set up a Spinning Neckbreaker-type move by LeRae. Chance broke up the pin attempt before she was sent out
Hartwell hit a Spinebuster on Carter then tagged out. Hartwell used a wheelbarrow to try and toss LeRae for a Splash but Carter got the knees up. Carter used a roll through then hit a Low Superkick to Hartwell, then tagged Chance to hit The After Party double team for the win.
After the match Double KC and the tag champs stared down and mouthed off at one another.
While BECKY LYNCH was shown walking backstage NIKKI CROSS lurked far in the background.
Becky Lynch would go to the ring for a promo. (Previews for Raw made it imply it would actually be a match instead.) Lynch said her and Jax had never faced off and showed the infamous clip of Nia Jax’s unsafe punch to Lynch’s nose five years ago. Lynch said she needed to get rid of the ‘burn’ and used a vicious line that not even Jax’s own knees would stand up for her and mocked her for being fired.
NIA JAX came out to interrupt. She claimed to be ‘better than ever’ and claimed her punch was just a lucky swing and implied she could do worse with a proper full-force punch. Jax’s promo got showered with ‘What’ chants. Lynch made sly comments that Jax was ‘the most dangerous woman’ in the ring and remarked that her opponents always ended up injured (no doubt a reference to her taking liberties with opponents). Lynch claimed she needed to end the narrative and prove she’s all about getting back up and would end the lie about only being on top because of Jax’s punch.
When Lynch dared Jax to fight, Jax of course backed away and claimed that Lynch needed the fight a lot more than she did.
JACKIE REDMOND handled interview duties.
It was announced that next week on Raw Chelsea Green and Piper Niven would defend the Women’s Tag Team Championships against Katana Chance and Kayden Carter.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Maxxine Dupri wasn’t ready for that match and blew two big spots. She’s green, sure, but clearly this needs to be a wakeup call since she has a lot of potential but needs the chance to get experience and work proper matches. Meanwhile, there was a fine tag match with another win for Double KC. The tag title shot coming so soon might be a sign that they won’t yet get the gold but you never know, things might be strung out or we could get a pleasant surprise of a title change.
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!