Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! Survivor Series is fast approaching with the Women’s War Games Match. Team Damage CTRL have their members with Nikki Cross and Rhea Ripley filling out the squad, but Team Bianca Belair has still one space left to fill. Who will step up to challenge the fearsome five lead by Bayley? And which team will get the numbers advantage as Asuka faces off against Rhea Ripley? Let’s get into it, and find out…
RHEA RIPLEY accompanied The Judgement Day as she and her team mates objected to Smackdown’s Drew McIntyre and The Brawling Brutes (along with Kevin Owens) being on Raw. Ripley bragging that the only thing people will be talking about is how many women she destroys in the Women’s War Games. It led to a Six-Man Tag between the Brutes and Judgement Day. When Dominick Mysterio tried to flee the match MIA YIM (who is now being billed as “MICHIN” or at least ‘Michin’ Mia Yim in the WWE) blocked his path.
CATHY KELLEY handled interview duties. That included having to flee an interview when a brawl between The O.C. and The Judgement Day broke out.
Women’s Singles Match – Winner gets the Numbers Advantage for their team at War Games
RHEA RIPLEY w/h Damage CTRL (BAYLEY, DAKOTA KAI & IYO SKY) & NIKKI CROSS defeated ASUKA w/h ALEXA BLISS & BIANCA BELAIR
Asuka didn’t even get her own proper entrance, having to come out to Belair’s theme alongside her and Bliss. he three faces cutting bland promos about ending things at War Games, but not revealing who the fifth member of their team was. Saying the announcement will come at Smackdown this week and that got loud, clear boos.
Ripley came out to her music along with Damage CTRl and Nikki Cross. Bayley having a mic and mocking Belair, accusing her of stalling to scramble to find the final team mates. Claming no one respected her and her team just wanted to be next in line for her title. That seemed to be reference to how Alexa Bliss has been acting with looks at the Raw Women’s Title and references to her old ‘Fiendish’ side. After a commercial break, the other War Games participants were all gone from ringside as the match began.
Asuka tried a hair toss on Ripley but it was blocked and Ripley performed one of her own. The cameras showing Damage CTRL watching from a locker room (while Nikki Cross just played with her hair in a corner) as Asuka hit some counter kicks in the corner. Ripley took control with a Snapmare to set up a back kick then the Low Dropkick to the head for a one count. Moments later Asuka provoked Ripley with a slap, luring her in to counter boots that set up a Dropkick from the middle ropes. Belair and Bliss were seen backstage watching the match as well. Asuka tried for a Baseball Slide, but Ripley countered and tried for an Electric Chair on the outside but Asuka slipped out, sending Ripley head first into the apron. Setting up Ripley on the apron for a Running Hip Attack.
Ripley did some heel stalling for a while, eventually getting back to lead to Ripley catching Asuka as she went for a Hip Attck, turning it into a hair pull slam before hitting safe blows to the back of the head. Ripley sending Asuka to the ropes and hitting a strike to the lower back a couple of times. Asuka managed to counter a third attempt with a Back Elbow but Ripley just shut her down with a Clothesline for a near fall. Ripley applied a Bodyscissors and talked smack, but Asuka countered it a couple times for a one count pin, before slipping free and locking on the Ankle Lock. Ripley managed to power her way out of the grounded version, rolling back to haul Asuka up before slamming her down.
Asuka was set up on top, leading to a brief exchange of slaps before Ripley in a cool spot leapt up to nail Asuka with a Dropkic, sending Asuka down to the floor. After a commercial break, Ripley missed a charge to the corner, sending herself into the ring post. Allowing Asuka to come back with the flurry of strikes and Backfists before hitting a Codebreaker. Hitting the Leg-trap Bridging German Suplex but only getting a two count. Moments later Asuka tried for a Roll-up but Ripley countered, turning it into her Elevated Cloverleaf submission that the announcers called the Prysm Trap. Asuka managed to escape with a counter rooll, sending Ripley through the ropes. Ripley tried going up top but Asuka hauled her down for the back of the head hitting the turnbuckle spot.
Asuka hit the Sliding Kick for a for two count. She tried for a Hip Attack but ended up hung up on the ropes, open to take a Back Kick to the stomach from Ripley. Ripley followed up with a round of strikes then a Northern Lights Suplex for a two count. Ripley went for the Riptide but Asuka countered, trying for the Asuka Lock but Ripley fought out. Damage CTRL and Nikki Cross suddenly appearing at ringside as Ripley escaped and drove Asuka into a corner. But ironically with as Bliss and Belair coming out that distracted Ripley, allowing Asuka to fire off a head kick and then applying a Flying Armbar. Ripley able to use the stack counter pin to escape with a kickout at two. A flurry of ducking strikes lead to Ripley hitting the Riptide on Asuka and pinning her clean to win the match.
After the match Bliss looked extremely distraught while Belair was dishearted too, compared to the delight Damage CTRL and Cross had. A mass brawl broke out after the match but despite being out numbered, Bliss and Belair somehow managed to hold off Damage CTRL and Cross until Ripley bulldozed them down. Michin raced out to go after Ripley and there brawled into the crowd before Asuka hit a Crossbody (of sorts) to take out all the other women including her own team mates.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A fantastic main event match from two of the top WWE Superstars in Asuka and Ripley. Usually the team that gets the numbers edge in War Games ends up losing so this could be a sign of the end result come Saturday, but is the WWE so predictable that they’d hand Belair yet another accolade when she’s already shoved down our throats enough this year? It will be a case of wait and see to see who the fifth member of Belair’s team is and we can only hope it’s not going to be a disappointment.
That’s your lot for this week! Be sure to stop by in seven days’ time for the post-Survivor Seres edition of the RAW RECAP! See you then!