Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! Money in the Bank has come and gone, and Charlotte Flair has once again regained the Raw Women’s Championship after months of complaining. However, Flair may have trouble soon enough as fellow Raw Superstar Nikki ASH captured the Money in the Bank briefcase, and could cash in on her (or Smackdown’s Womens Champion) at any time. So what’s next for the women on Monday Night as he head towards Summerslam? Let’s get into it, and find out…
SONYA DEVILLE handled her duties as a WWE Official.
CHARLOTTE FLAIR went to the ring for a championship celebration. Flair gave a bragging promo and called Rhea Ripley a snake. The fans were quickly bored, chanting for “Becky” while Flair seemed to not count her NXT or Women’s Tag Team titles as her reigns to just be 11 time champ. But when she claimed she could beat Ripley any day of the week, that brought out RHEA RIPLEY to the ring. Seizing on that remark and challenging her to a match tonight. Flair came up with excuses and refused the challenge, but Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville overruled it and made a Raw Women’s Championship Match for the night. Flair took a cheap shot and kicked the knee for an early advantage ahead of the match.
Non-Title Women’s Tag Team Match
Women’s Tag Team Champions NATALYA & TAMINA defeated NIA JAX & SHAYNA BASZLER w/h Reginald
The match was joined in progress (yikes!) as Baszler had a Heel Hook on Natalya. Soon after Baszler missed a Knee Strike to the ropes and then got shoved out. Jax pulled Tamina off the apron and onto her shoulders, hitting a Samoan Drop to the ring barricade. Back in the ring Baszler hit a distracted Natalya with a Knee Strike for a two count. Jax tagged in, hit a Splash to the corner then tagged out as she held Natalya in a Side Slam position for Baszler to hit a Running Knee for a near fall. Baszler hit the Arm Stomp, then tagged Jax back in but she missed a corner charge. Natalya hitting a couple Short-Arm Clotheslines before the Discus one took Jax down for a two count.
Natalya got a waistlock on Baszler when she was tagged in, forcing her to the champ’s corner as Tamina got a tag before Natalya hit a German Suplex. Tamina hit a Superkick on Jax as she leaned through the ropes, and Baszler almost stole it off a Roll-Up. Tamina dodged a Knee Strike, and slammed Baszler looking for the Superfly Splash but Reginald distracted her so that Baszler could kick Tamina down to the mat. He ended up being the costly distraction as when Natalya pulled him down, Baszler had to kick through the ropes to save him. That gave Tamina time to recover as she nailed a Superkick on Baszler to get the three count.
After the match Baszler yelled at Reginald about being the problem, and Nia Jax finally agreed as she gave him a Headbutt and the two women left him behind in the ring as the show moved on with Reggie becoming the new 24/7 Champion.
Despite making his main roster debut, Karrion Kross did not have Scarlett at his side for his match like he does in NXT.
ALEXA BLISS once again had EVA MARIE and DOUDROP in her playground. Marie of course made fun of Lily, but Bliss taunted Marie to try and make her fight on her own. Marie appeared to trip over the swing Lily was sitting on when it moved on its own as she left.
Raw Women’s Championship Match
RHEA RIPLEY defeated Raw Women’s Champion CHARLOTTE FLAIR by DQ
Ripley hit Kingdom Falls early then ground and pounded Flair, then not long after avoided a corner strike to hit a Splash to Flair then hitting Shoulder Thrusts. Flair did the over the corner vault to the apron, hitting a Shoulder Thrust through the ropes then vaulting back over to hit an Arm Drag and keep a hold of the limb. The women traded blows, but Ripley bounced back from being sent to the corner and hit a Dropkick for a near fall.
After some head shots to the corner and chops, Flair tried for a Suplex but Ripley countered with a Small Package for a two count. Flair then escaped a Suplex attempt, but Ripley came back soon after with a German Suplex. A Running Low Dropkick got a nearfall. Flair came back with a Clothesline to send Ripley over the top rope to the floor, and kicked at Ripley’s knee when she tried to get back in. Flair charged around the ring and nailed a Chop Block to Ripley on the outside. Sending Ripley back in as the referee had to hold Flair back.
Back from commercial Flair hit the Knee Drop to the leg on the ropes then stretched and stomped the leg against the ropes. Ripley pushed Flair off from a Figure Four attempt and then hit another German Suplex. The women traded blows before Ripley unleashed some Short-Arm Clotheslines then a Hooking Kick before busting out the Alicia Fox Northern Lights Suplex, but could only keep one leg on the mat as Flair kicked out at two. Flair hit a Queen’s Boot and went for the Moonsault but Ripley brought the knees up, hurting herself.
Ripley locked on a Figure Four Leglock but Flair reversed it as Ripley quickly got to the ropes. Flair hit a round of chops but Ripley hit a kick, then nailed Riptide but Flair got a foot on the ropes. Flair tried to flee, grabbing her title but then just nailing Ripley with the title to cause an intentional DQ to retain the belt with Champion’s Advantage. Furious, Ripley went after Flair and drove her into the ringpost, hitting a Riptide on the outside.
NIKKI A.S.H. rushed down and cashed in her Money in the Bank contract!
Raw Women’s Championship Match – Money in the Bank Cash-in
NIKKI A.S.H. defeated Raw Women’s Champion CHARLOTTE FLAIR
ASH hit a Crossbody off the top rope as Flair staggered up, and got the victory! Cashing in successfully and becoming the new Women’s Champion! ASH celebrated in the crowd as Raw went off the air.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A nice storyline note that Flair complained about Ripley getting DQ’d and keeping the title, but Flair did it herself as soon as could. It was a surprise enough that Nikki ASH won the Money in the Bank contract, but to successfully cash it in as well shows that her new gimmick has won over the fans and, most importantly, all the right people. It’s great to see someone fresh, and deserving, in the mix instead of the same old with Flair or another of the Four Horsewomen. There had been a worry that ASH might be the unlucky first woman to fail to cash in, but thankfully that ‘honour’ can wait another year at the least. Cross should be a blast as champion so let’s see if the WWE gives her a good run with it. Elsewhere the tag champs get a rebound victory and Baszler and Jax finally ditch Reginald. With Mandy Rose moved to NXT and rumours that Dana Brooke is unable to compete, it’s clear that Tamina and Natalya’s next challengers are Smackdown’s new duo of Shotzi and Nox.
That’s your lot for this week! Be sure to stop by in seven day’s time for the next edition of the RAW RECAP! See you then!