Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! Last week saw the Raw debut on Netflix and Rhea Ripley regain the Women’s World Championship with a victory over Liv Morgan. This week, a title of a different kind as the WWE will crown the first-ever Women’s Intercontinental Champion when Dakota Kai faces Lyra Valkyria. Who will make history with a big win and walk out as Champion? Let’s get into it, and find out…
LYRA VALKYRIA, DAKOTA KAI and IYO SKY got the ‘arrived earlier today’ video treatment.
IVY NILE along with the Creed Brothers accompanied Chad Gable as he lost to the debuting Penta.
JACKIE REDMOND handled interview duties.
Tensions continued to build between The Judgement Day with LIV MORGAN and RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ being at odds with Finn Balor. Morgan was also mad with Dominik Mysterio and rejected his gift of a bunch of roses.
CATHY KELLEY interviewed Pure Fusion Collective of SHAYNA BASZLER, SONYA DEVILLE and ZOEY STARK. Deville ranted that everyone had issues with them attacking others, and that what they did to Kairi Sane weeks back was just a preview. Baszler claimed it was also a message to anyone from Smackdown who wanted to jump ship during the transfer window. However, when Stark vowed that she was the first in line to get a shot at whoever the new Women’s IC Champ was, the other PFC members took issue with that. Deville claimed one of the group would be next champ and Stark equally didn’t look thrilled about that ‘correction’.
Rather casually, it was announced during a segment with Karrion Kross and The Miz that the Wyatt Sicks, which would include Nikki Cross, had been traded to Smackdown.
BAYLEY was interviewed by Cathy Kelley in the front row, who put over her hometown crowd and the show so far, along with her upcoming title match with Tiffany Stratton on Smackdown. Bayley didn’t commit to an answer about who would win the IC tourny finals, but did reference her history with Kai and she put over the importance of the match for the women’s division. Bayley also trolled commentator Michael Cole and got the crowd to chant that he was an idiot.
WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament Finals
LYRA VALKYRIA defeated DAKOTA KAI w/h IYO SKY to become the First-Ever WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion
Sky only accompanied Kai, who had new entrance music, to the stage. The match started quick with rope work and counters, which saw both women escape from attempts at their big finishers. After Kai ducked a Head Kick, Valkyria countered a Snapmare with a cartwheel but got taken over with a Flying Mare. Kai tried for her stomp spot to Valkyria through the ropes, but Valkyria avoided it and then dragged Kai to the floor. Valkyria charged Kai into the apron and then went for the Dropkick through the ropes, but Kai grabbed the feet to counter and then planted Valkyria into the apron. Valkyria then countered a kick along the apron and swept the leg to send Kai down to the apron. Valkyria then hit essentially a Superplex but from the apron to plant Kai, and herself, down onto the ringside floor!
Back inside the ring, Valkyria locked on a Romero Special and rolled with the move until she impressively snapped off a German Suplex from the grip to get a near fall. Valkyria worked over Kai with Surfboard holds, and shoved Kai off with a push to drive her face-first into the mat for a two count. Kai countered a Fisherwoman’s Suplex with a Small Package for a near fall, and then hit a Superkick but Valkyria answered with a round of strikes but missed the Head Kick. Valkyria countered the Scorpion Kick, but Kai used the other leg to hit some kicks, and soon after Kai countered a Powerbomb grip with a Headscissors Takeover.
Kai hit the Running Boot in the corner, followed by the Kai-ropractor but only got a two count. Kai went for GTK but Valkyria blocked the kick, and then hit a Liger Bomb for a near fall. A Roundhouse Kick to a kneeling Kai set things up for Valkyria to hit a Top Rope Legdrop across Kai’s back as she got up, but it only got a two count. Valkyria tried for Nightwing but Kai escaped, hit the Scorpion Kick and then put Valkyria through the ropes for the Springboard Stomp. Kai hit the Go To Kick but wisely Valkyria rolled to the ropes and out of the ring to save herself, even as Kai clutched onto Valkyria’s wrist.
Kai got Valkyria back into the ring, but when Kai went for another Running Boot in the corner Valkyria avoided it and hit a version of a Zig Zag. Nightwing followed as Lyra Valkyria won clean to become the first-ever Women’s Intercontiental Champion. After the match, Kai although heartbroken showed respect and raised Valkyria hand before the hugged, and Valkyria got a pyro celebration too.
As RHEA RIPLEY walked backstage, she passed Alpha Academy as a dejected NATALYA was in conversation with MAXXINE DUPRI.
Rhea Ripley, the new Women’s World Champion, would go to the ring for a promo. However, after Ripley had bragged a bit, Smackdown’s NIA JAX interrupted and got showered with a massive amount of boos as she vowed to win the Women’s Royal Rumble. Implying she would take whatever title she wanted, and even called out Bayley who was still front row. Bayley eventually heard enough and stormed the ring, taking exception to the insults about her hometown. Jax shoved down Bayley and then shoved Ripley, who answered with a Headbutt before Jax hit one of her own. Bayley would clip Nia’s knee and then hit a Running Knee before a Big Boot from Ripley sent Jax through the ropes. Although Bayley and Ripley exchanged a high five afterwards, Bayley clearly eyed up the Women’s World Championship as Ripley held it.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Kai and Valkyria but on a good match to crown the first champion. I know there was a lot of support for Kai as a sentimental Champion but someone has to win and lose, and Valkyria had been given really nothing since her call-up while Kai has been a fixture in the division for a long time thanks to Damage CTRL. We’ll see what’s next but a title match with Stark as a challenge will be a solid start for a good title match in the future. Elsewhere it seems the WWE has moved Ripley and Morgan on from that very long fued, and that’s been well overdue. The WWE hasn’t done a good job making this ‘transfer window’ seem relevant but they’ve teased Bayley moving to Raw. A match between Ripley and Bayley would be a great one but it might be they’ll hold off on any Ripley match until after the Royal Rumble. Which as it goes is only a few weeks away and we’ve had really only Nia declare for the match. There’s plenty of rumours that there will be big returns at the Rumble – Becky Lynch, Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair – so they might be going the surprise route rather than mass announcements which works great for the surprise element of the Rumble. So I don’t have any complaints there.
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!