Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! The Bad Blood event fast approaches and we’ll see a clash between rivals Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley for the Women’s World Championship. What new twists will their story take as we head towards the PLE? And what’s next with the tag team division after Iyo Sky scored an upset win over Bianca Belair last week? Let’s get into it, and find out…
Women’s World Champion LIV MORGAN and Dominik Mysterio kicked off Raw with an in-ring promo (although their route from the backstage area was briefly interrupted by a brawl between Braun Strowman and Bronson Reed). Morgan bragged that her Revenge Tour was going exactly as planned and showed footage of last week’s beatdown of the Terror Twins by The Judgement Day.
After some more bragging by Morgan, RHEA RIPLEY interrupted. Threatening Mysterio that she’d make him get out of her face if he didn’t do it herself, before Morgan mocked the ‘hurt’ knee of Ripley. Morgan claimed that she’d be able to beat Ripley not because she was the stronger of the two but because she was the smartest. Ripley announced that Adam Pearce had granted her a stipulation that at the Bad Blood match, because of all the times in the past that Mysterio had interfered in title matches, Mysterio would be locked in a Shark Cage for the clas between Morgan and Ripley! Ripley ended the segment with a Headbutt that dropped Morgan and gloated as she left ringside, while Mysterio tended to a stunned Morgan.
IVY NILE and American Made mocked The New Day backstage over their recent issues. It set up a match between The New Day and The Creed Brothers.
Backstage, Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio complained to Adam Pearce about the Shark Cage stipulation but they were told the decision stands. Curiously, there appeared to be an Alexa Bliss Lily Doll in the background of the segment which may, or may not, be a tease of future events.
ZELINA VEGA along with The LWO accompanied Dragon Lee as he defeated Carlito of The Judgement Day.
CATHY KELLEY and JACKIE REDMOND handled interview duties.
Tag Team Match
Damage CTRL (IYO SKY & KAIRI SANE) defeated Unholy Union (ALBA FYRE & ISLA DAWN)
Before the match backstage, BIANCA BELAIR and JADE CARGILL confronted the Sky Pirates. Belair tried to play down her loss last week and said she’d take on Sky any time. To which Sky said when she did, she’d be coming after the tag titles and that infuriated Cargill too. The champs talked rather heel-like as they mocked the fact that the Pirates had lost to the Union when they last faced off weeks ago, and vowed that they’d stay as champions no matter who won.
Sky and Dawn started off, and while Dawn got in some strikes to start Sky would soon flip over Dawn’s back and nail a Shotei. Sane took a tag as Sky tripped up Dawn to set up for an Axe Kick to the back before the Pirates hit stereo Dropkicks. When Frye came in illegally, Sane used her rebound Headscissors to take her down to stack the Union in a corner for a charging Shoulder Thrust. The Sliding D to Dawn in the corner followed then a Flying Forearm from the top for a near fall.
Moments later Sane was sent over the top rope to the apron, and avoided interference from Fyre to kick her but Dawn hit a Hot Shot and it appeared to target the hurt eye of Sane. Fyre hit a Suicide Dive through the lower ropes to wipe out Sky when she tried to check over Sane. After a commercial break, Dawn was legal against Sane as Frye hit a Gordbuster before Dawn hit a Running Meteora to get a near fall. Dawn choked Sane on the ropes before Fyre did the same as Dawn distracted ref, and it led to Fyre ripping off the bandaid that was over Sane’s injury.
Fyre was tagged and held Sane, but Dawn almost hit her tag partner when Sane escaped the grasp. Sane would hit a Chinbuster to Fyre and then tossed Dawn out of the ring before she got the Hot Tag. Sky hit Shoteis then a Flapjack before she used a Drop Toe Hold to make Dawn hit a Splash onto Fyre. Sky actually planted herself on her head when she did a flip to avoid Dawn but no sold it to hit a Dropkick and then kip up. A Springboard Missile Dropkick followed then more flips as Sky seemed to play up her headplant before she hit the Bullet Train Attack for a two count.
Fyre caught Sky with a Superkick when she charged in. Moments later, after the momentum of a kick off Dawn hit a cheap shot to Sky but Frye only got a near fall from a Roll-up. Dawn was tagged and the Union went for their double team but Sane reached in to grab Sky’s arms and prevent the Backstabber before Sky hit a kick that sent Frye tumbling down from the top to the floor. Sane would hit a wild InSane Elbow to Fyre on the outside while Sky hit Over the Moonsault to Dawn to pick up the win in a great match.
Ivy Nile along with Chad Gable accompanied The Creed Brothers as they defeated The New Day. That would lead to backstage The LWO with Zelina Vega trying to smooth things out with The New Day but Xavier Woods’ recent attitude change blocked that.
Pure Fusion Collective of SHANYA BASZLER, SONYA DEVILLE and ZOEY STARK had a hype video. A shame they can’t buy a win these days but can buy a video package.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Although the WWE didn’t completely abandon the knee injury angle for the Ripley and Morgan match, going with the Shark Cage gimmick seems to scream that the WWE has lost faith in the match being strong enough on its own without a stipulation. That’s all on the WWE for relying too much on the cat-and-mouse running away between the rivals and then the numbers game beatdowns. Some actual matches with Morgan and Ripley involved, and the PLE mixed tag match barely counts, would have helped out. Meanwhile, the Sky Pirates picked up a win in a great match and surely a tag title shot is in their future. Whether they get a fair crack against the WWE’s ‘Big Two’ is another story.
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!