Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP, presented by THE REVELLUTION! The Crown Jewel event is happening this week on Thursday, with the WWE Draft finally coming into effect on the following Smackdown. Before that, Charlotte Flair must defend her Raw Women’s Championship against Bianca Belair, and we will see who will face Zelina Vega in the finals of the Queen’s Crown Tournament. So let’s get into it, and find out what went down…
CHARLOTTE FLAIR had a typical bland promo, complaining about having to defend her title against a ‘rookie’. BIANCA BELAIR eventually came out to call Flair out on her nonsense and mocked Flair about having to say goodbye to her title. Unsurprisingly, Flair went for a sneak attack but had to flee when Belair almost hit the KOD on her.
Backstage Flair complained to SONYA DEVILLE and Adam Pierce about defending the title.
Queen’s Crown Tournament – Semi Finals Match
DOUDROP defeated SHAYNA BASZLER
Doudrop had a cut-in promo. ZELINA VEGA came out before the match started to scout her future opponent as she even helped herself to putting on the crown to watch from the throne on the stage. Doudrop easily overpowered Baszler before Baszler started firing off kicks. Chopping down the bigger opponent before Doudrop caught Baszler with a Dangerous-K Backdrop. A corner Cannonball followed but going for the Viper Driver Baszler slipped out to apply the Clutch.
Doudrop tossed Baszler down and tried the low Crossbody but Baszler dodged to apply the Clutch again. Despite being locked in for a long time, Doudrop separated the legs and leaned back to counter with a pinhold to get the victory! Vega didn’t seem concerned as she grinned from the stage.
Raw Women’s Championship Match
BIANCA BELAIR defeated Raw Women’s Champion CHARLOTTE FLAIR via DQ
The two exchanged waist locks before both going for Dropkicks and kipping up. Belair did flips and her corner taunt to lure Flair in, flipping over her and catching her with a hard Shoulder Thrust. Flair countered with a rough Knee Strike, and soon after she was caught on the apron after doing his corner vault. Flair blocked a Handspring attempt, dragging Belair out of the ring and tossing her over the announce table.
Back from a commercial Belair hit a Bodyslam but once again Flair cut off a Handspring move with a stomp, but it looked like Belair’s foot might have caught Flair when she rushed up for the spot. Flair hit Chops then a Backdrop as we saw clearly Flair has a busted lip from the previous contact. Flair paid for mocking her challenger, going for a Handspring into a Moonsault as Belair brought the knees up. Belair going into House on Fire mode with a Single Leg Dropkick then the Handspring to the Moonsault. A Delayed Suplex followed for a two count.
Belair went for a Splash but Flair brought the knees up, then turned a Roll-up into a Deadlift Powerbomb for a near fall. Flair hit the Ibushi Moonsault spot for a near fall. Belair later on came back with a Spinebuster but Flair cowardly rolled out of the ring to avoid being pinned. Flair bailed back out when she was sent back in, but was caught and got sent over the announce table.
After another commercial break Flair roughed up Belair and almost countered the Glam Slam into a Roll-up but Belair sat down for a pin of her own for a two count. Flair managed a glancing blow with a Queen’s Boot on a second attempt for a near fall. Later, Belair tried going up top but Flair knocked her off to the floor, then hit the Top Rope Moonsault to the floor. Back inside Natural Selection missed as Belair used a Backslide for a two count. Flair avoided the hair braid whip, then Belair avoided another Queen’s Boot to then hit the Glam Slam for a near fall.
A KOD attempt was blocked by Flair clutching the ropes to be sent over to the apron. After attempts to get a Roll-up Flair finally got a spear but only got a two count. Flair went up again for a Moonsault but Belair rolled out, hitting an overhead German for a near fall. Belair then went up top but Flair kicked her to knock her off balance. Belair fought her off and then hit a Sunset Flip Powerbomb for a two count. After the great match, Flair suddenly found a chair and deliberately got DQ’d to keep her titleby hitting Belair through the ropes. Belair kicked the chair into Flair and struck her with it to send her packing as the show quickly went off the air.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A great match with a terrible end. Why have the Raw champion on Smackdown? Is it going to be another case of swapping titles so if Lynch or Belair leave Crown Jewel as champion they become the Raw champ? The last thing the WWE needs is Flair hogging storylines on all brands again like during her NXT title run. Hopefullly that all gets sorted on Smackdown. Elsewhere, Doudrop winning is a pleasant surprise considering the heel push Baszler had gotten. It guarentees whoever wins the Queen’s Crown will be on Raw after the draft, so perhaps they will be first in line for whoever the Raw Women’s Champion is as the next challenger?
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!