Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! It’s one of the final episodes of the WWE of the year, and this week’s Raw will give us a PLE-worthy match-up as Becky Lynch faces off against recent rival Bayley. Will The Man back up her boasts or can The Role Model and her Damage CTRL allies make a statement of their own? And what’s next for Alexa Bliss and Bianca Belair after Bliss showcased a brief flash of her ‘fiendish’ side last week? Let’s get into it, and find out…
RHEA RIPLEY along with Dominik Mysterio accompanied The Judgement Day as they faced The Street Profits. A distraction on the outside as Akira Tozawa threw a drink at Ripley, but she ducked and it hit Mysterio, allowed Balor to be rolled up by Montez Ford to lose.
Furious, Ripley stormed up the ramp and socked Tozawa in the mouth to deck him, and challenged him to a match there and then!
Intergender Singles Match
RHEA RIPLEY w/h The Judgement Day defeated Akira Tozawa w/h The Street Profits
As excepted from the PG era there was ducking of shots early by Tozawa before he flipped out of Ripley’s back Suplex attempt. Hesitating from throwing a strike at Ripley as Ripley gloated and dared him to hit her. Moments later a Big Book turned Tozawa inside out and got Ripley a near fall. Ripley hit corner stomps then a hard Irish Whip to the opposite turnbuckle as a good portion of the fans seemed to be behind Ripley. The two struggled to hit a Suplex on the other before Ripley hit it with a slight delay for a two count.
Later, there was a light botch in a Tozawa vault-back spot at the corner that nearly sent him onto Ripley’s shoulders. Tozawa tried for a Running Cross Body but Ripley caught him, trying for a Fallaway Slam perhaps but Tozawa countered with a Sunset Flip for a near fall. Another botch coming as Tozawa went for a Headsacissors but slipped from Ripley’s grip. Ripley quickly hooking him up for a Powerbomb and again Tozawa nearly fell from the grip but Ripley muscled him up. Allowing Tozawa to finally snap off a Headscissors to sent Ripley to the floor.
The referee was distracted as The Street Profits mocked Dominick Mysterio as he checked on Ripley. That allowed Fin Balopr to trip up Tozawa from the outside as he went for a dive. The Street Profits then doing Con Hilo dives to take out Balor and Damien Priest on the floor. Ripley got back in and tried for Riptide but Tozawa escaped, and Ripley ended up missing a tackle as Tozawa dodged and she sent herself into the ring post. Mysterio got kicked off the apron. Tozawa went for his Top Rope Senton but only hit canvas as Ripley rolled away. Ripley hitting the Riptide to get (I believe) a first win over a male Superstar one-on-one on Raw!
CATHY KELLEY handled interview duties.
MIA YIM and AJ Styles accompanied The O.C. as they defeated Alpha Academy.
A backstage sit-down interview was held with Raw Women’s Champion BIANCA BELAIR and challenger ALEXA BLISS. Belair still mad about last week’s events and flat-out saying she didn’t trust Bliss. Bliss tried to explain things and finally said Bray Wyatt’s name, recalling their history. Claiming she’d been left with abandonment issues and that therapy had just left her into a shell of what she once was. Bliss said she had nothing to lose, so that meant she had everything to gain including the title.
Belair didn’t buy it and claimed she didn’t believe Bliss had nothing to do with her snap change last week. Bringing up Bray Wyatt again Bliss took offence, saying this was all about her and not him. Bliss stated that she’d won titles before Belair was even in the company, to which Belair dared her to come do it again. As Byan Saxton was wrapping up the interview the Wyatt flasher image appeared on the monitor in the background and seconds later Bliss grabbed a vase of flowers and smashed them over the back of Belair’s head, knocking her down!
The title match between Belair and Bliss was announced for the first Raw of 2023.
BECKY LYNCH cut a backstage promo claiming she wanted to face the best version of Bayley and that meant one-on-one. Saying the difference between them was that Lynch accomplished everything on her own, but Bayley couldn’t take her out on her own.
Women’s Singles Match
BAYLEY w/h Damage CTRL (Women’s Tag Team Champions DAKOTA KAI & IYO SKY) defeated BECKY LYNCH
They exchanged wristlocks early, before later Lynch tapped into some old ‘World of Sport’ leaps and counters. Bayley escaped a Dis-arm-her attempt, sending Lynch to the ropes and Iyo Sky tried for a cheap shot but Lynch grabbed the wrist to block the slap. The ref didn’t eject Damage CTRL however, and Bayley took advantage with a cheap shot to Lynch. Lynch soon came back with a Flying Forearm, a Clothesline then a Misdirection Big Boot. The action going to the floor with another Flying forearm from off the apron by Lynch to Bayley on the floor, before moments later Bayley countered a Man-Handle Slam attempt on the apron to use a version of a Complete Shot to send Lynch into the middle turnbuckle.
After a commercial break Bayley was in control, hitting a Suplex for a near fall. Lynch coming back with a Jumping Heel Kick after Bayley almost won a battle of strikes. Lynch then firing off strikes of her own, leading to a European Uppercut, a Bang Kick and then the Springboard Back Kick to catch Bayley rushing in. A Bex-Plorder followed and right after the back-and-front corner shot combo. Setting up Lynch hitting a Vader-Bomb-style Legdrop at the corner for a near fall.
Lynch tried for the corner version of her Springboard Kick but Bayley blocked, kicking the leg away and moments later hitting a Back Suplex for a two count. Bayley was caught with a Backslide for a two count but as Lynch brought them both back up with the underhook grip to be back-to-back, Bayley again kicked the leg to get an edge, setting up for the Low Northern Clothesline strike. Lynch countered the Bayley-to-Belly and after a swap of waistlocks Lynch hit a Reverse DDT for a near fall.
Lynch missed a Legdrop attempt as Bayley ducked back through the ropes, and hauling Bayley back in Lynch ended up pulled into the Bayley-to-Belly for a near fall. Lynch then countered the Rose Plant with a Back Suplex. Moments later Lynch blocked a Suplerplex attempt, hitting a rarely seen Diamond Dust from the corner for a near fall. Bayley tried to steal the win with a stacked pin and feet on the ropes but the official saw it. Lynch going for a Man-Handle Slam but this time Damage CTRL pulled Bayley out and to the floor right in front of the referee. Lynch hitting a baseball slide that decked Bayley and as Lynch grabbed one of the announcer’s small TV monitors to defend herself the referee finally threw Sky and Kai out from ringside.
As Kai protested, Lynch decked her and stomped away at Kai as she was now in the ring. That distracted the referee who tried to get Kai out. Allowing Bayley to use the TV monitor to hit Lynch in the back, setting up for the Rose Plant and stealing the win.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
If this week was any indication, then the title match between Belair and Bliss in two weeks will have some sort of Bray Waytt nonsense cropping up. At least Belair was finally booked to look in peril for once. Meanwhile, Bayley stole a win in what was a fantastic match to finally give her some momentum back and give reason for the feud between her and Lynch to keep on going. And while it was a nice surprise to see Ripley beating a male Superstar the match had clear botches and wasn’t any true intergender bout (and there never will be in the current WWE era because they don’t want to upset toy makers and sponsors). But a win is a win I guess.
That’s your lot for this week. Be sure to stop by next time for another edition of the RAW RECAP! And on behalf of everyone here at The RevELLEution we wish a Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it, and a Happy New Year beyond that!