Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! We are racing towards the Money in the Bank event and the field has filled up for the all important women’s ladder match. Smackdown have shuffled things following Bayley’s untimely injury, with now Liv Morgan, Zelina Vega and recently yesterday Natalya confirmed for the Smackdown side. For this week’s Raw, the four women representing the red brand will go at it in a Fatal Four Way match for momentum and bragging rights. Who will pick up the edge heading into the Pay Per View? And who will get the last laugh between Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley ahead of their title clash? Let’s get into it, and find out…
ALEXA BLISS hosted her backstage playground with EVA MARIE and DOUDROP, but Marie stormed off when Bliss quite rightly cared more about Doudrop than Marie.
Women’s Fatal Four Way Match
NIKKI A.S.H. defeated ALEXA BLISS, ASUKA & NAOMI
There was a brief ‘comedy’ skit between Riddle and A.S.H. before the match, but just for a corny reference to being ‘high’. Asuka had a cut in promo, as hyped as ever vowing no champ would be ready for her. Naomi kick started things with a Double Dropkick to take Asuka and ASH out quick, then rushing Bliss to a corner for Shoulder Thrusts but Bliss came back with a stunning Forearm. Naomi countered a whip, but Bliss did her spider clutch to the ropes to stop herself. Impressively Bliss hit a Crossbody off of the ropes out of it for a one count, before Asuka returned to hit a Backfist to send Bliss down. ASH getting a Jacknife pin on Asuka for a near fall.
ASH got a Roll-up hold on Naomi for a two count, before Asuka and Naomi teamed up to hit Cross with kicks front and back then a Douple Team Dropkick to deck ASH. Naomi and Asuka then went at it, exhanging strikes and ducking kicks before the knocked one another down with Head Kicks at the same time. ASG and Bliss faced off, and seemingly when Bliss tried to apply her trance onto ASH it didn’t work at all, leaving Bliss to grip her former friend by the throat. ASH broke free, hitting a Throat Chop then a Dropkick to Bliss. Meanwhile, uninvited to the party Eva Marie and Doudrop appeared on the stage to watch on.
The distraction left Cross to be taken out by Naomi with a Leg Lariat, then Asuka hit a Neckbreaker Drop on Naomi. Leading to Bliss hitting a DDT on Asuka for a two count. Bliss allowed herself to be distracted, focusing on Doudrop as Marie shoved her rookie forward to deal with her. Bliss ignored her, making Marie back away before screaming at her. Doudrop then attacking Bliss from behind upon Marie’s orders, and then dumping Bliss over the barricade with a Wastelands-like toss. But when Marie checked over the barrier to gloat, Bliss was nowhere to be seen.
Back from commercial the match continued as a Triple Threat (and Marie and Doudrop nowhere to be seen let alone Bliss) with Asuka in control, hitting kicks to both kneeling opponents then dumping Naomi with a German Suplex. Asuka hit a Hip Attack to Naomi in the corner, caught ASH with a rough looking Head Kick, then hit a Running Bulldog to Naomi. Getting Asuka near falls on both women. Naomi tried for another running charge for a Hip Attack but it lead to Naomi hitting her rope bounce Head Kick counter in the corner. Naomi then hit a new move of hoisting ASH up on the shoulders, but side dropping without actully dumping ASH off of herself. Then hitting a Back Suplex on Asuka to set both women up so she could hit a Splits Legdrop on both opponents for a two count.
Naomi went for a Disaster Kick but only hit Asuka to get a near fall on her. ASH hit a Tornado DDT on Naomi but Asuka broke the pin up. Asuka was sent out by ASH doing the low bridge with the middle rope, and ASH tried for her tilt-a-whirl La Magistral pin but Naomi countered the cradle part, rolling ASH into a pin of her own. The kick out leading to a grounded submission but Asuka broke it up, then putting an Arm Bar onto Naomi which ASH broke up with a Seated Senton. ASH hit a top rope Crossbody on Asuka but Naomi broke the pin. Naomi was sent over the ropes but hit a Head Kick back inside to ASH, but trying to come back in Asuka hit a Codebreaker to Naomi through the ropes. ASH almost stole it with a Small Package but only got two, and soon after Asuka tried for the Asuka Lock. ASH escaped and turned a Gedo Clutch into a sit down pin for yet another unlikely victory.
SONYA DEVILLE handled her duties as a WWE Official.
SARAH SCHREIBER handled interview duties, including getting comments from RHEA RIPLEY shortly before her match.
There was a backstage segment where DANA BROOKE and MANDY ROSE again taunted Women’s Tag Team Champions NATALYA and TAMINA, trying to provoke them into agreeing to a title match.
Non-Title Women’s Match
Raw Women’s Champion RHEA RIPLEY defeated Women’s Tag Team Champion NATALYA w/h Women’s Tag Team Champion TAMINA
The women started off with an arm wringer by Ripley, before Natalya flipped out and got a one count off a Roll-up. Natalya applied a Wristlock of her own that Ripley soon got out of, but Natalya countered being lifted up into a Sunset Flip pin for a two count. Ripley provoked Natalya to charge, ducking a Clothesline then countering a pin attempt into a Crucifix pin for a near fall. The two traded more pin holds before Ripley shut the chain wrestling down with a Headbutt. Ripley went for the Riptide early, and Natalya countered leading to an attempt at The Sharpshooter but Ripley kicked her away and through the ropes.
Ripley charged around the ring but her Running Dropkick nailed Tamina instead of the intended target, allowing Natalya to hit the Discus Clothesline on the floor. After a commercial Ripley fought off Natalya while being perched up top, leading to Ripley hitting a Missile Dropkick. Soon after a double foot counter got a near fall, then hitting the Knee Strikes while cluching Natalya’s head before a Nothern Lights Suplex got a two count. Natalya came back, managing to stun Ripley by slamming her head into the top of the ring post, setting up an impressive Sit-out Powerbomb for a near fall.
Natalya tried again for a Sharpshooter but was kicked off, and nearly came back quickly with her classic Rope-bounce Atomic Drop toss with the running Stomp over, but Ripley countered the last Low Dropkick part to lock on her Standing Cloverleaf hold, Natalya countered into a roll up for a two, then turned another into The Sharpshooter but Ripley fought through, rolling through the hold to send Natalya into the corner. Right after Ripley caught Natalya with a Head Kick from off the canvas, and the Riptide afterwards got the victory.
After the match CHARLOTTE FLAIR attacked Ripley from behind, targetting the knee and locking on the Figure Four off the apron to give Flair a cheap advantage heading into MITB.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Two well wrestled, entertaining matches on Raw which is great to see. Bliss going against Eva Marie and having to go through Doudrop to get her could be a fun storyline, and anything that keeps Marie far, far away from the Raw Women’s Championship is always good. Nikki A.S.H. picking up yet another won is all good, but I quesion if the new character will go over well with the often vicious live audence that will return from Smackdown onwards. The post match attack by Flair was simple and effective, showing how cowardly Flair really is and knowing Ripley has her number. There’s no clear indication yet as to which woman will leave with the title, but then again it could be a case of there being a cash-in on the night that throws everything out of order. Meanwhile, this Brooke and Rose story against Natalya and Tamina has been dragging on for a little too long, while the tag champs have already lost in a non-title bout to the new duo of Shotzi and Tegan Nox. Can we get Rose and Brooke’s title match over and done with already? Otherwise what’s the point if the WWE already has new champs lined up with the new fresh faces?
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!