Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! Sour news approaches this edition of Raw with the rumours circulating that Rhea Ripley was injured during the backstage brawl with Liv Morgan. An injury that may be serious enough to require the vacating of the Women’s World Championship. If that’s the case then what’s the next steps for the women’s division on Raw? Let’s get into it and find out…
RHEA RIPLEY kicked off Raw and worst fears were confirmed as she had her arm in a sling as she came to the ring. Ripley had a sour look as she stated that after Liv Morgan’s attack (and her name got boos from the fans) Ripley was now “on the bench for a few months”. A flustered Ripley stumbled over her words and said she’s been told she has to vacate the title. Something that infuriated the fans too but Ripley laid down the title in the ring. Ripley ranted at Morgan and called her a coward for the sneak attack that hurt her, and warned whoever would become the next champion that she’d be coming back for blood.
LIV MORGAN of course came out to gloat, but a mass of security kept the two apart. Ripley got a last moment as she decked one of the guards with a Headbutt. There was a brief moment backstage between Ripley and The Judgement Day for her send off. There was no official statement about how or when a new Champion would be crowned.
JACKIE REDMOND handled interview duties.
Tag Team Match
CANDICE LERAE & INDI HARTWELL defeated IVY NILE & MAXXINE DUPRI
Hartwell and LeRae weren’t even on the same page during their entrance. Nile and Hartwell started off, as Nile controlled with a Headlock and mat work before she got a Sunset Flip for a near fall. Nile got a Dropkick then an Enzigiri. Dupri got a tag and hit a Crossbody off the top rope then a Fisherman’s Suplex for a two count.
LeRae provided a distraction that allowed Hartwell to deck Durpi with a Ripcord Clothesline before LeRae gleefully took a tag. Clubbing into Dupri then choking her on the ropes. Hartwell was tagged but got kicked away by Dupri, leading to a blind tag by LeRae who tried to cut off a tag and ducked an Enzigiri attempt. But Nile ducked being knocked off the apron and coming back LeRae got hit with a DDT by Dupri.
Hartwell turned heel by coming into the ring to distract the ref, so he never saw the tag to Nile and while the ref ordered Nile back out, Hartwell decked Dupri with a Big Boot and dragged LeRae into the cover. Holding back Nile on the outside to gift LeRae the victory. Hartwell gloated about it and LeRae seemed overjoyed with the win.
Tag Team Match
CHELSEA GREEN & PIPER NIVEN defeated KATANA CHANCE & KAYDEN CARTER
Carter and Niven started up but Carter was easily shoved down, and when Chance took a tag both faces managed to chip Niven down with kicks. Niven took both when down with a double Shoulder Knockdown. Niven took Chance over to the heel’s corner with a Cobra Clutch to tag in Green, before a double team of a (barely) hit punch by Green led to a Ripcord Clothesline by Niven to get a near fall.
Chance avoided a charge into a corner, and tagged out to hit a double team of a Meteora to Green’s back while Carter hit a Running Boot along the apron. Carter took a slap, and then tied up Green’s arms to bend over backwards and hit Open-hand Chops to the chest before she turned it into a Bladerunner-type move. Green was hoisted up on Carter’s shoulders, and Chance without being tagged climbed to the top rope to hop off of Green’s back and try for a Crossbody on Niven who also came in.
Niven caught the move and tossed Chance with a Fallaway Slam while Carter hit a sort of Driver. While going for the pin, Carter was hit by Niven’s Basement Crossbody to allow Green to stack Carter up and steal the win.
CATHY KELLEY interviewed Liv Morgan backstage, who complained about the fans’ reaction to her actions and Ripley’s injury and bragged about getting ‘A shoulder for a shoulder’. Morgan vowed this wasn’t the end of her tour and said it would be over when she became champion.
NIA JAX was interviewed backstage and said she didn’t care about Ripley’s injury. Jax bragged about how she’s beaten everyone she’s faced and would do the same after the draft, and vowed the Women’s Championship would be hers.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A terrible situation to end Ripley’s fantastic reign so suddenly, and from the crowd reactions it might be tough to just slide Morgan back into a babyface role even if in storyline terms Morgan’s actions were justified. It’s a rough situation as there aren’t too many top level stars on Raw aside from Morgan and Nia Jax unless they bring Becky Lynch back, so there’s blame on the WWE for their failure to create enough new and emerging stars who could seize the chance here. The non-announcement of what’s happening with the World title makes me wonder if they’ll hold off until after Backlash, perhaps even using the upcoming Queen of the Ring tournament event to crown the new champ.
Elsewhere there were two solid tag team matches as Green and Niven got a long overdue win, while we finally got a Heel turn properly to cement LeRae and Hartwell’s status. If anything will come from all of this with Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair being lined up as the next Tag Team title challengers remains to be seen.
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!