Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! WrestleMania is in the books, and we saw a new Raw Women’s Champion crowned as Rhea Ripley managed to dethrone the lengthy reign of Asuka to claim her first title outside of NXT in an impressive match. Meanwhile, the Women’s Tag Team Champions retained as Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler fended off the challenge of Natalya and Tamina. So what’s next for the women’s division? Especially as usually on the Raw After Mania we get surprises and debuts… Let’s get into it, and find out…
RHEA RIPLEY was interviewed about defending her title only a day after winning. Ripley bragged about her confidence, and vowed to prove she was ready for Asuka.
Later ASUKA would be interviewed as Asuka said it was her turn to bring the fight, and said she’d become champion again.
CHARLOTTE FLAIR made her return to Raw going to the ring for a promo. A very lengthy, and actually too long as a matter of fact, heel Flair promo, complaining about not being WrestleMania and claimed Asuka never accepted her challenge and Ripley took advantage of it. Flair vowed to become a 13-time Champion in spite of the fans and claimed she should be in the title match.
Raw Women’s Championship Match
Raw Women’s Champion RHEA RIPLEY versus ASUKA ended in a no-contest.
The women started off with brawling strikes. Asuka tried for a Drop Toe Hold but Ripley’s strength stopped it as she tossed Asuka across the ring by the hair. Ripley went for her version of Kingdom Falls but Asuka countered into a roll up for a one count. Ripley soon after catching a Buzzsaw Kick attempt but Asuka countered herself, rolling into an Armbar to make Ripley get to the ropes. Ripley set Asuka up on top, trying for a Back Suplerplex but Asuka shoved her off. Ripley getting one foot of a Dropkick to send Asuka slowly tumbling to the floor.
After the commercial break Ripley shut down an Asuka rally with a Clothesline, then sending Asuka hard into a corner. Ripley took too much time enjoying her advantage, as Asuka came back with boots then the Missile Dropkick. Ripley ate the Pop-Up Knee Strike, the German Suplex then a Hip Attack. A couple of Head Kicks in both directions led to the Sliding Kick for a near fall. Asuka went up top again but there was a botch as Asuka went for another Dropkick but Ripley was both not in position and had her back turned so the Dropkick missed completely. Ripley trapped Asuka in her Elevated Cloverleaf hold but Asuka got to the ropes, only for Ripley to yank her off the ropes for a slam to get a two count.
Ripley hit a trio of Knee Strikes while holding Asuka, but going for a Low Dropkick hit nothing before Asuka’s Sliding Kick attempt was also avoided. There was another botch as Ripley seemed to try for an Electric Chair lift up only for Asuka to just tumble back. Ripley got the lift up a second time, turning it into a shoulders clutch but then another seemingly botch as Asuka flipped back like for a Crucifix Driver but the landing was super messy. Asuka locked on a Japanese Armbar, then trying for the Asuka Lock as Ripley resisted. Sending Asuka head first into the corner, then Ripley planting Asuka with a front drop Electric Chair for a near fall.
The women went to the apron, Asuka shoving Ripley into the corner then getting a Hip Attack, before hitting a DDT onto the apron. On the floor Charlotte Flair appeared, shoving both women into the ring steps and post to cause the match to be thrown out. Sending Asuka into the barricade then hitting a Queen’s Boot to Ripley. Hitting Asuka with an Exploder Suplex (in a dress no less!) before taunting the women as she gloated about ruining the title match.
In a backstage segment MARYSE returned to the WWE as The Miz introduced his wife as the guest on Miz TV, clearly to John Morrison’s surprise.
Backstage NIA JAX and SHAYNA BASZLER were laughing watching Mandy Rose’s unfortunate slip during her WrestleMania entrance. MANDY ROSE appeared before she slapped Jax, and her and DANA BROOKE tackled Jax to leave her furious.
ALEXA BLISS hosted her own Playground as she told a story about why she turned on The Fiend at WrestleMania. Explaining that ‘The Darkness’ taunt her everything it knew, but when it went away Bliss realised she didn’t need The Darkness after all. Bliss then introduced her ‘new friend’ a freakish doll called Lily (a reference to Lilith?) and vowed the fun was only just starting.
Miz TV was hosted with Maryse. It led to a Handicap Match against Damien Priest as Maryse helped with holding Miz’s foot to avoid being hit by Priest’s finisher, and barely got in time to hold Miz’s foot to steal a cheap win.
Baszler and Jaz were interviewed as the attack on Jax was shown again. Jax called the blondes cowards, and said she and Baszler were going to put a beating on Brooke and Rose.
Non-Title Women’s Tag Team Match
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions NIA JAX & SHAYNA BASZLER defeated DANA BROOKE & MANDY ROSE by count out.
In a clearly planned spot, Jax caught her foot in the ropes during her entrance entering the ring to stumble and look embarressed. Regenald has also quietly been removed from being an act with Jax, and that’s a great thing. Jax started with Brooke and charged her to the heel corner to hit Shoulder Thrusts. Then tossed across to take a corner Splash. Baszler was tagged in, whipping Brooke into a Jax body check that set up Baszler’s Knee Strike for a two count. Baszler hit the new Ankle Stomp before locking in a Stretch Muffler. Holding the lock as she walked over and tagged Jax as Baszler swung Brooke into the corner, dumping her down for Jax to hit an Elbow Drop for a near fall.
Brooke tried for a Tornado DDT but Jax held it, but Brooke got a break with a Jumping Enzigiri. Jax was backed into her corner for Baszler to tag in, trying to stop the tag on the other side but Brooke got it. Rose hitting a Missile Dropkick that just caught Baszler in the stomach. Rose hitting a Clothesline then the Flapjack before kipping up. A corner charge then Shoulder Thrusts, before Rose then Baszler both missed Knee Strikes to the corner. Rose went for the Implant Buster but Baszler fought out, and locked on the Clutch. Rose escaped through the ropes, leaving Baszler bounced off the top cable as Jax tagged in.
Jax stalked Rose then sent her in, but Jax doing another (clearly planned spot) clumsy slip trying to get back in. Enraged, Jax clambered into the ring but the babyfaces instead backed up the ramp to be counted out rather than face the furious Jax. OK, sure. For whatever reason Rose’s music played like they won as the announcers claimed humiliating Jax was better than a win. Yeah, sure…
FINAL THOUGHTS:
The most dissapointing Raw After Mania yet with no new debuts, and more of the same in terms of storylines. Charlotte Flair again in the title piucture is a tired out song that does no one any favours, especially since we have a Heel champion already and Flair is a heel. That’s a big yawn from me. And sadly, Asuka and Ripley’s match was marred by a couple of missteps and botches that took away from a solid match. Not anywhere close to the Mania match of course but if there hadn’t been the botches this would have been a good one. Meanwhile Jax’s new gimmick is that she’s clumsy? Why? Because she’s a ‘big girl’? That sounds like typical WWE sexism at play, but if Rose and Brooke are mocking her because of it why are they babyfaces? The whole thing sucks already and this is just day one. This was not a good night for the women all around.
That’s your lot for this week! Be sure to stop by in seven day’s time for the next edition of the RAW RECAP! See you then!