Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! Clash at the Castle is fast approaching and will see a clash between Bayley’s ‘Control’ faction of herself, Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky taking on Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, Asuka and Alexa Bliss. In the midst of that, the Women’s Tag Team Championship tournament is unfolding with Kai and Sky already in the Semi Finals. Asuka and Bliss will try and punch their ticket to the next round as they face Doudrop and Nikki A.S.H. this week. Who will emerge victorious? Let’s get into it and find out…
RHEA RIPLEY as part of The Judgement Day kicked off raw, bragging about beating up Dominik Mysterio last week. Ripley would play a part in acting as a distraction when Rey Mysterio jumped the trio, yanking a chair out of his hands so Damien Priest could deck him. Then soon after hitting a DDT to Mysterio onto a chair.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Tournament – First Round Match
ASUKA & ALEXA BLISS w/h BIANCA BELAIR defeated DOUDROP & NIKKI A.S.H.
BIANCA BELAIR came out after Asuka and Bliss as the Clash at the Castle battle was hyped. Asuka and Ash started off with Ash using a hairpull slam to send Asuka down and hit some strikes. Asuka soon came back with a Pop-up Knee before tagging in Bliss as the two faces mowed down Ash. Cutting off Doudrop with Double Dropkick before sending the heels off the apron with duelling Hip Attacks as Bliss borrowed Asuka’s move.
After a commercial break Ash was in control of Bliss with a Japanese Stranglehold. Bliss escaped, sending Ash away to her corner as Doudrop tagged in and trying to stop Bliss, Doudrop ended up being kicked away and send stumbling back to crush Ash in the corner. That left Bliss free to tag out to Asuka, who hit a Missile Dropkick to Doudrop and that sent her over so Ash could tag back in. Ash took a Neckbreaker Drop, a corner Hip Attack, the flurry of strikes with multiple Backfists and then a Bridging German Suplex for a two count.
A grab of the foot by Doudrop allowed Ash to pounce, hitting a version of the Regal Neckbreaker for a near fall. Moments later, Ash hit a Top Rope Crossbody on Asuka only for Bliss to beak up the pin with a Low Dropkick. Bliss then crushed by Doudrop’s Running Crossbody. Backstage TAMINA and DANA BROOKE (without the 24/7 title) were seen watching on. Meanwhile in the ring Douidrop was tagged in. Asuka managing to knock Ash off the apron with a Hip Attack but getting planted by the Viper Driver to get Doudrop a close near fall.
Doudrop missed the Vader Bomb, and Bliss blind tagged in as Asuka ran the ropes to hit her Sliding Kick. Allowing Bliss to hit the Goddess DDT before tagging right back out as Asuka hit a Codebreaker. Then rolling Bliss over with a version of an Arm Bar submission. Bliss took out Ash with the KO Punch on the outside and with no way to escape, Doudrop had to tap out.
On the entrance way, BAYLEY, DAKOTA KAI and IYO SKY mockingly gave applause before the two trios had a big shouting match but were separated by officials and refs.
SARAH SCHREIBER handled interview duties. This included interviewing Kai (with Bayley and Sky) but they were distracted seeing Dana Brooke (this time with her title), mocking Brooke for not being afraid of them.
Non-Title Women’s Singles Match
DAKOTA KAI w/h BAYLEY & IYO SKY defeated 24/7 Champion DANA BROOKE
Kai hit an Overhead Scorpion Kick early, setting up a Running Boot to Brooke against the ropes for a two count. A Running Knee to Brooke down in the corner soon followed for another near fall. Kai perhaps took too much time toying with Brooke, allowing her to fight back with a couple of Short-Arm Clotheslines then hitting the Handspring Elbow to the corner. But Kai then sent Brooke head first into the corner, setting up the Running Big Boot in the corner to get Kai the win.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
The as-expected outcome from the tag tournament (with an ironic moment of Bliss weeks before claiming she doesn’t have friends, but is all too happy to borrow a tag partner’s move in Asuka’s Hip Attack during the match). We’ll see the feud between Bayley’s group and Asuka, Bliss and Belair continue next week with the Semi Final clash. Meanwhile, Kai gets established with a squash-like win over Brooke and no 24/7 nonsense involved. There are rumours that the WWE might be scrapping the 24/7 title and certainly treating the title like a non-factor tonight would add weight to that.
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!