Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! Money in the Bank is just weeks away and we’ll see the Raw Women’s Championship defended as Bianca Belair battles the more dangerous than ever Rhea Ripley of The Judgement Day. Plus, the Women’s MITB Ladder Match which so far has Smackdown’s Lacey Evans (or at least she’s on that brand this month!). Who else will enter into the Ladder match? And how will Belair respond to her new challenger? Let’s get into it, and find out…
SARAH SCHREIBER handled interview duties.
WWE 24/7 Championship Match
DANA BROOKE Vs BECKY LYNCH never started.
Lynch decked Brooke with a cheap shot before the match could officially start. Roughing up Brooke with stomps before tossing her to the outside then into the barricade. Lynch putting Brooke’s head under the announce table top before stomping it to leave Brooke knocked out. Lynch demanding a mic as she ranted that this was never about Brooke’s title, but about being disrespected. Lynch vowing that this year she’d be in Money in the Bank and things would turn out different than last time.
When Lynch looked to attack Brooke again, ASUKA made her entrance as the two women brawled with Asuka getting the edge quickly, slamming Becky’s face into the apron multiple times. Asuka dominated the fight in the ring too with multiple strikes with Spinning Backfists in between, leading to the Release German Suplex. Sending Lynch scurrying away before ALEXA BLISS came out to make her entrance for her match, ignoring Lynch’s ranting as she headed down to the ring.
Women’s Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
ALEXA BLISS & LIV MORGAN defeated DOUDROP & NIKKI A.S.H.
Bliss and Ash started with Ash getting an early hair-pull slam but then getting taken over with a Lucha-style pin hold for just a one count. A couple of Forearms setting up a Dropkick by Bliss. Doudrop was tagged in and was only made to stumble off a Bliss Headscissors. Catching a running Crossbody attempt to Slam Bliss down and then hit a Senton for a near fall. Ash was tagged in, with Bliss set up as Ash hit a low Blockbuster for another near fall. Bliss came back with a Chinbuster, only to take a Splash in the corner but managed to shove Ash off from the Bulldog attempt.
Tags were made either side as Morgan hit a series of kicks, leading to her trio of kicks finished with the Enzigiri. The Springboard Side Codebreaker followed and moments later a Dropkick off the middle ropes but Doudrop powered out with a kickout at two. Bliss was tagged in, hitting a Blockbuster to a kneeling Doudrop but Ash broke up the pin. Doudrop hit Bliss with a Headbutt then knocked Morgan off the apron before tagging in Ash. The heels hitting a new Double Team move of a Doudrop Side Slam with Ash hitting a Reverse DDT, but this time Morgan broke up the pin.
Doudrop hauled Morgan to the floor and hit a Slam, but missed with the follow-up Senton attempt. Ash hitting a Dropkick through the ropes onto Morgan, but only to turn around and eat the big punch from Bliss. Setting up for the Goddess DDT and getting Bliss the three count. Meaning both she and Morgan qualify for the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Bliss and Morgan sharing a hug, but joking about how it was now every woman for themselves as they hopped apart as they pointed at the hanging briefcases.
BIANCA BELAIR was interviewed in the ring. Bianca giving softball answers, saying she and Ripley were at the forefront of the new era, and pushed one another to their limits. Belair admitted that she didn’t recognise this version of Ripley but claimed she wasn’t intimidated by her or The Judgement Day. RHEA RIPLEY interrupted by appearing on the video wall, flanked by her team-mates. Ripley mocked Bianca for caring more about what the fans thought and trying to fool people by calling herself the ‘EST’. Ripley even bragged about having had her teeth knocked loose in the match, showing off braces, but claiming she loved it. Belair appeared to be second-guessing herself as Ripley’s music played after Ripley vowed to become a two-time Raw Women’s Champion.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A long run of women being in the main event match and spot comes to a sad end on a night where the WWE thought a ‘pose-down’ was more important than a big Women’s match. Lame. Nevertheless, we had a fine brawl between Lynch and Asuka to keep their feud going. Followed by a solid match to put Bliss and Morgan into MITB. There’s been speculation Bliss and Morgan could become a proper team if and when the WWE brings back the Women’s Tag Team Championships but we’ll wait and see what happens after MITB. The Belair and Ripley promo-off didn’t exactly inspire with Belair again showing that her mic skills are a weak point, even with WWE production pipping in cheers. They still have a couple of weeks to build their title match however so we’ll see what happens next with them.
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!