Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! We are three weeks away from the Extreme Rules event and what seems to be the long-anticipated clash between Bianca Belair and Bayley. The momentum on the side of Damage CTRL after Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai captured the Women’s Tag Team Championships. But what twists and turns will we see this week? Let’s get into it, and find out…
DAMAGE CTRL of BAYLEY and the Women’s Tag Team Champions DAKOTA KAI and IYO SKY had an in-ring Championship Celebration. Featuring plenty of pyro and streamers along with big balloon towers. The trio having arrived ‘earlier in the day’ by limo, and then Bayley driving the group out with a custom stickered cart for a drive right around the ring. The announcers also briefly mentioned that Aliyah was out injured after the ta.g title match last week.
Bayley bragged about being the homecoming hero and the victory of her team, before taking exception to the boos directed at her girls as she took a cheap shot at a local sports team. Sky speaking in Japanese for a bit before Kai claimed the likes of Belair, Asuka and Bliss were no longer the faces of the division. Even saying a line that Belair has been ‘dialing it in’ because she hadn’t been pinned in over a year.
BIANCA BELAIR came out with ASUKA and ALEXA BLISS as Belair took exception to the insults. Bayley claimed again like last week that she wasn’t ready yet to challenge Belair, and then mocked Bliss and Asuka for merely being Belair’s new accessories. Bliss and Bayley went back and forth with insults, Bayley remarking that the old Bliss made her life a living Hell but she didn’t know who this Bliss even was. Bliss called out Bayley for a match, and it seemed like Damage CTRL were just going to back away as they left the ring. Bayley tried for a cheap shot, only to be decked by Bliss as the rest of Damage CTRL had to pull her out of the ring.
SARAH SCHREIBER handled interview duties.
RHEA RIPLEY accompanied The Judgement Day as Finn Balor and Damien Priest defeated Rey Mysterio and Matt Riddle. Ripley clearly keeping her new toy Dominik Mysterio under the thumb as she and the group heaped praise onto their newest member. At one point in the match Ripley hitting Riddle with a Back Suplex on the floor as the referee was distracted.
Women’s Singles Match
BAYLEY w/h Women’s Tag Team Champions DAKOTA KAI & IYO SKY defeated ALEXA BLISS w/h ASUKA & Raw Women’s Champion BIANCA BELAIR
Bliss got a hype video before the match. Bliss tried mounting Bayley from behind with wild strikes, eventually being thrown down with a Snapmare before Bliss was able to use the drop drown trip spot as Bayley ran the ropes. Later, Bliss was provoked by a pie-face, leading her to target Bayley’s arm with a wringer then a couple of Arm Breakers. Bayley came back with a Flapjack-style Snake Eyes then a hair pull Mat Slam. A Hip Toss getting Bayley a near fall and moments later Bayley’s Sliding Clothesline got another two count.
After a rest hold Bliss mounted a comeback with a Jawbreaker. Using a Headscissors to send Bayley into the middle rope to set up for a Meteora to the back. Bliss tried to grab the ropes (almost Fiendish style) to counter a whip, but Bayley kicked her through the ropes to the apron. Trying for the Ropes-Aided Stunner but Bliss shoved her off. Bliss tried to slide in and get a Sunset Flip but Bayley countered, holding Bliss’ leg as Bayley went to the floor and drove Bliss’ knee into the apron. In the ring a Sliding Clothesline to the back got Bayley a near fall.
On the other side of the ring Bayley removed the announce table top, trying to drive Bliss’ leg into the desk but Bliss kicked her away and used the announce desk to leap off, hitting a Tope Con Hilo. After a commercial break Bayley was targeting Bliss’ leg with a submission hold as the hometown crowd gave mixed chants for and against Bayley. Cutting off a comeback attempt with a Chop Block then stomps to the leg then another submission. Later, Bliss used a Lou Thesz Press from the middle rope, hitting punches to Bayley then landing a Knee Strike to a kneeling Bayley followed by a Low Dropkick. The Insult to Injury combo getting Bliss a two count.
Bliss got the Crossbody off of clutching the ropes that she tried for earlier but only got a two count, before both women traded two counts off pin holds. Bayley tried for the Bayley-to-Belly Suplex but Bliss countered into a Roll-up for a near fall, only for Bayley to hit it at the second attempt but just for a two count. Bayley tried for a Super version of the Bayley-to-Belly but Bliss fought it off, forcing Bayley to drop down as Bliss hit a Code Red for a near fall. Bliss tried for a Tornado DDT but got shoved off and selling her bad knee Bayley scooped her up for a stacked pin. Trying to steal the win with feet on the ropes but Belair shoved the feet off. That led to a brawl ringside as Damage CTRL sent Belair into the ropes before Asuka decked Kai with a Backfist, but a Hip Attack attempt just hit the ring steps.
Bliss hit the Goddess DDT and went up top, but as Kai distracted the ref Sky hit Bliss in her bad knee to send her tumbling down. Bayley hitting the Rose Plant to get the victory over Bliss.
The bell barely ringing before Damage CTRL commenced a three-on-one beatdown first on Bliss then on Asuka when she came in. Bayley and Kai aiding Sky to hit a Springboard style Over the Moonsault with Sky still wearing the tag title around her waist! Belair came in and briefly got the better of the three before the numbers caught up to her, leading to Bayley hitting a Rose Plant on her. Bayley getting a mic as she said she wanted her Raw Women’s Championship match at Extreme Rules, before Damage CTRL posed over the fallen Belair as the show went off the air.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A fantastic match between Bliss and Bayley, showing why they are two of the very best the WWE has. And Bayley picking up the tainted victory not just because she’s the heel, but putting over the numbers game advantage that her stable’s opponents (especially Belair) will have to deal with. It might be a little early to start playing fantasy booking, but with the announcement that this year’s Survivor Series will have two War Games matches, surely Damage CTRL will be involved in the women’s match. They certainly have building enemies on both brands of WWE to go against. Before that, we’ll see the expected title match at the Extreme Rules PLE and there’s no clear outcome for that title match yet. Elsewhere, Ripley continues to be fun as she keeps her toy Dominik on a short leash.
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!