Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! We’re heading towards the biggest shows of the WWE year with still more twists and turns coming. Bianca Belair missed house shows this week with a ‘throat injury’ but whether that’s a shoot or just a work from last week’s attack by Becky Lynch is unknown. Meanwhile, the future of Carmella and Queen Zelina as Women’s Tag Team Champions looks even more uncertain. After the new duo of Natalya and Shayna Baszler was added into the Mania match to make it a Fatal Four Way for the tag straps. What new twists, if any, will we get this week? Let’s get into it, and find out…
SONYA DEVILLE and Adam Pearce handled duties as WWE Officials.
CARMELLA and QUEEN ZELINA had a brawl backstage as their recent issues boiled over.
Women’s Tag Team Match
NATALYA & SHAYNA BASZLER defeated LIV MORGAN & RHEA RIPLEY
The Smackdown duo didn’t get a proper entrance. Ripley and Baszler started off as Ripley powered out of a standing Double Wristlock with a Slam. Baszler got in a flurry of strikes but missed the Knee Strike, allowing Ripley to hit a Headbutt to set up the Running Basement Dropkick. Ripley hit Kingdom Falls before tagging in Morgan, giving a boost to send Morgan up to hit a Senton on Baszler for a near fall.
Baszler used an arm hold to drag Morgan to the corner to tag out to Natalya, but moments later Morgan snapped off a Headscissors on Natalya. Morgan hit the Corner Knee Strike but a distraction allowed Natalya to hit the Rope Bounce Release Atomic Drop. Baszler getting a blind tag as Natalya did the step over followed by the Low Dropkick spot. Baszler hitting the Running Knee Strike for a two count.
Baszler locked on a Top Wristlock as Carmella stormed out, going to the announce table to complain to her boyfriend Corey Graves about the backstage brawl. Natalya was tagged in but before she could come in Morgan fought off both opponents yet still couldn’t tag out as Baszler hauled Ripley off the apron. Morgan got a two count with a Small Package on Natalya but ate the Discus Clothesline right after. Baszler tagged in and the heel duo hit the classic Hart Attack Clothesline double team for the victory.
After the match Ripley chased off Natalya and Baszler, but got hit from behind by Queen Zelina using her sceptre as a weapon, followed by a Knee strike. Carmella then attacked the distracted Baszler and Natalya, sending Natalya into the ring steps and nailing Baszler with a Superkick. Carmella and Zelina showed it was all a plan as they faked facing off in the ring before grinning and hugging, celebrating their ‘plan’.
BECKY LYNCH cut a fantastic in-ring promo. Bragging about how she intentionally hurt Belair compared to the accidental injury she took from her challenger. Claiming Belair was scared that Lynch was coming to take her hair and a piece of Belair’s soul in the process.
Tornado Mixed Tag Team Match
24/7 Champion DANA BROOKE & Reggie defeated TAMINA & Akira Tozawa
The rules had all the Superstars in the ring at the same time, with Dana climbing onto Reggie’s shoulders first for the school yard high battle. Tamina however hoisted Tozawa up to do battle with a lock up. Just for Tamina to boot Reggie, dropping Brooke who then booted Tamina to get Tozawa dropped. Tozawa got sent into Tamina in the corner, setting up Brooke hitting the Handspring Elbow to them both. Tamina ended up falling out of the corner, hitting Tozawa down low before Brooke hit a Knee Strike (the women of WWE sure love hitting those strikes, don’t they) to send her out of the ring. Reggie hit his flippy Senton on Tozawa to win the match. Hot garbage all around.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Belair’s injury seems to be a work, even if it’s unusual to pull a Superstar from live shows to put over an angle. Lynch’s promo was killer (Belair wouldn’t have been able to hold her own against Lynch on the mic) but I’m guessing Belair returns next week and beats down Lynch to get her heat back. Meanwhile, Natalya and Baszler get put right into the line as potential winners at Mania with a nice win here (even if the announce team didn’t call the move the Hart Attack) and we see that the falling out between the current champs was just a rouse. We’ll of course see what teams, if even any of them, stick together after Mania.
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!