Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! As we head towards SummerSlam, this week will see the Women’s Tag Team Championships on the line as Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez defend against Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville. With the backdrop of Rhea Ripley’s threats against Rodriguez potentially setting up a match for the upcoming Premium Live Event. Who will leave Raw with the tag title gold? Let’s get into it, and find out…
JACKIE REDMOND interviewed LIV MORGAN and RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ. Morgan noting their challengers tonight don’t play by the rules but Rodriguez welcomed the tough challenge. RHEA RIPLEY interrupted to face off with Rodriguez, but hit a cheap shot Headbutt to Morgan to deck her. Leading to a brief brawl with Rodriguez that got broken up, but not before Ripley managed to hit a kick to Rodriguez’s knee to leave her floored and selling the shot. Later in the show, Rodriguez would be checked over in the Trainer’s room where she was selling the knee but ruled barely cleared to compete.
Rhea Ripley accompanied The Judgement Day to have a promo in the ring, as Ripley bragged the group was stronger than ever. The segment setting up a men’s tag title match later in the show.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match
CHELSEA GREEN & SONYA DEVILLE defeated LIV MORGAN & RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ to become the NEW Women’s Tag Team Champions
Morgan and Deville started, as Deville hit a Pump Kick right off the bat. A quick tag leading to a Double Team Delayed Suplex by the heels then a Green Elbow Drop for a two count. Deville was tagged, hitting body shots to Morgan in the heel corner. Liv soon fought out, and hit her Step-up Enzigiri to get a break and tag out to Rodriguez.
Rodriguez hit a couple of Clotheslines, Snake Eyes then the Rewind Clothesline to Deville. A Fallaway Slam followed, but Rodriguez was briefly distracted by having to kick Green from the apron to prevent her coming in. So her corner charge ended up hitting the ring post when Deville moved. Deville targeted the hurt knee with a Single Leg Crab applied for a long time, dragging Rodriguez back from the ropes a couple times until Morgan eventually broke it up.
Tags on both sides as Morgan hit Shoulder Checks, then the Corner Back Elbow. Rolling out for the Corner Knee Strike then hitting an MX just like NJPW’s Bushi. Morgan hit ObLIVion but going for the pin, Deville broke it up by hitting her Running Low Knee. Deville then went around the ring, hauling Rodriguez down and hitting a Chop Block on the bad knee to prevent Morgan being able to tag out. Morgan tried for an O’Connor Roll but was pushed off, eating a cheap shot strike from Deville to set up Un-Pretty-Her but Morgan kicked out at two.
Devillie got the tag, and Morgan tried to fight the numbers with a Roll-up on Deville for two. Only leading to her taking a second Un-Pretty-Her that set up Deville’s Knee Strike. With Rodriguez nowhere in sight, Deville scored the pin to crown NEW Women’s Tag Team Champions. Marking the first WWE titles for either Green or Deville in their long careers.
Backstage Deville and Green bragged about their win.
MAXXINE DUPRI and VALHALLA accompanied their respective teams for the ‘Viking Rules’ match between Alpha Academy and The Viking Raiders. But Durpi hit Valhalla with a Dropkick to send her down as the match began. Late in the match, Valhalla would break up a pin by Gable, leading to Dupri hitting her with a Crossbody off the top rope. Celebrating a little too much, getting her graduation jacket but Valhalla tackled her through a table set up in a corner. A cheap shot by Valhalla to Otis set up a Double Team Powerbomb to give the Raiders the win thanks to the numbers advantage.
Singles Match
SHAYNA BASZLER defeated NIKKI CROSS
Baszler quickly applied the Clutch to win a squash in under half a minute.
RONDA ROUSEY cut a promo from a luxury box, mocking Baszler’s comments about taking the hard road to WWE. Claiming to have done everything in a fraction of the time it took Baszler to do. Baszler fired back, mocking Rousey for talking from a distance and getting the crowd cheering for her by daring Rousey to come down and fight her. Baszler tried to go through the crowd to get Rousey by security blocked her, and Rousey made a challenge for a SummerSlam match before leaving.
BECKY LYNCH was the featured guest on Miz TV. The Miz’s first question, pointing out Lynch’s recent big match losing streak, made Lynch snap as she chucked the Director’s Chairs out of the ring and forced Miz to back up as she ranted. Yelling about losing titles and matches and maybe her mind. Forcing Miz to bring out the surprise guests early of TRISH STRATUS (still in the face mask) and ZOEY STARK. Lynch instantly demanded another one-on-one match with Stratus but Stratus dismissed the challenge and claimed Lynch was acting like a spoiled brat. Name-dropping Lynch’s daughter much to Lynch’s anger.
Stratus claimed she was done with this issue between them and demanded Lynch say Thank You, Trish. Lynch fired back, saying Stratus hit her at her lowest because she can’t handle Lynch at her strongest. After a bunch of insults Stratus finally accepted, but under ‘conditions’ – Lynch had to beat Stark first and if she couldn’t she’d need to publicly say Thank You, Trish. Oh, and ‘tattoo’ Thank You, Trish across her chest if she lost.
After Lynch wasn’t fazed by the demands, the heels jumped Lynch for a beatdown. Lynch managed to fight back, pulling off Stratus’ face mask and using it to Headbutt Stark as she stood tall in the ring.
Rhea Ripley accompanied Damient Priest and Dominik Mysterio as they faced Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn for the men’s Tag Team Championships. In the closing moments, Ripley threw Owens into the ring steps. Liv Morgan, seeking revenge for Ripley’s attack earlier in the night being a reason for losing the tag titles, attacked Ripley and tackled her over the barricade. And without the numbers game the tag champs retained.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Considering that until Rousey opted to use her contract exit as is being rumoured Morgand and Rodriguez wouldn’t have won the tag titles at Money in the Bank, moving the titles off to Green and Deville isn’t such a surprise. That and it leaves either Rodriguez or Morgan free to now challenge Ripley at SummerSlam, with most likely Rodriguez at the PLE and Morgan getting at least a match on a Raw before the event. Both Deville and Green have had a long road in WWE (and more so with Green being in and out of WWE and NXT over the years) so it’s proof hard work can actually pay off to finally get them both a championship reign.
Elsewhere a harmless squash match kept Rousey and Baszler’s feud going and the same for the Miz TV segment with a classic ‘beat my girl to get to me’ wager match. Both worked fine.
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!