Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! As the Hell in a Cell event approaches things have rather stayed the same in the women’s division with Charlotte Flair still trying to sneak her way back into yet another title match. While Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax are still getting shots at the tag titles despite losing the gold and then following rematch. And yet they’re getting yet another shot at the tag straps this week! So will this be a week where things finally change? Let’s get into it and find out…
An earlier today video saw CHARLOTTE FLAIR and Raw Women’s Champion RHEA RIPLEY face off, until NIKKI CROSS butted in and challenged either of them to face her. Ripley accepted when Flair claimed Cross wasn’t worth her time because she was facing Asuka instead.
The same bland photoshoot video from EVA MARIE from last week was shown again. If one video wasn’t bad enough they played another one later on in the show.
Non-Title ‘Beat The Clock’ Singles Match
NIKKI CROSS ‘deafeated’ Raw Women’s Champion RHEA RIPLEY by lasting two minutes.
The match had a timer because the earlier video said Flair could beat Cross in two minutes. Ripley pie-faced Cross and took her time, messing with Cross and taking her time with a slam, allowing Cross to slip out and hit a Forearm Smash that ticked off Ripley. A counter Jawbreaker followed by Cross at the minute mark and a top rope Crossbody got a near fall. Cross got a corner Clothesline but the follow up Bulldog was shoved off. Ripley then hit her Dropkick. Ripley’s rage made her forget about the time limit as she pummelled Cross with Shoulder Thrusts, strikes and stomps to dominate as the time limit expired, much to Ripley’s disbelief. After the match Charlotte Flair came out to gloat while Cross was taunting Flair as well.
Women’s Singles Match
CHARLOTTE FLAIR defeated ASUKA
The two started with a lengthy, rolling lock-up the dodging strikes. Asuka went for the Asuka Lock after some chain reversals but Flair got to the ropes. A Monkey Flip counter led to Flair applying the Figure Four Headscissors and got one of her flips out of it but Asuka escaped a second, catching Flair with a kick. A little later Asuka caught Flair on the ropes with a Hip Attack to the gut, but trying for a second Flair hit a wild Chop Block to Asuka mid-air. Flair targetted the leg, applying a Leg Lock onto the ropes.
The leg was focused on with a Toe Hold then an Ankle Lock but Asuka rolled through sending Flair to the ropes then outside. A dive off the apron by Asuka was avoided, and the bad leg allowed Flair to scoop her up for a Kneebreaker onto the ring steps. After a commercial break Flair was still in control with her rope-aided Knee Drop to the hurt leg. A Dropkick to the knee on the ropes got Flair a near fall. Flair applied the Boston Crab but Asuka countered with a pin hold for a two count. Asuka got an Arm Bar attempt out of nowhere but Flair held her arms to avoid the hold and rolled to the ropes.
Asuka went for a Hip Attack but Flair caught her and, eventually, hit a messy Kneebreaker from the awkward position. Flair put Asuka in a Tree of Woe and stomped on the knee until Asuka crumbled down. Flair went for a Moonsault but Asuka rolled out of the way as Flair landed on her feet. Only to be sent over with Asuka’s German Suplex. Asuka got a corner Hip Attack, then the Pop-Up Knee Strike, the Spinning Backfist and a Spin Kick to the head. A low Hip Attack got a near fall. Flair got a hot shot, then slammed Asuka’s leg into the ring post from the outside but Asuka countered a second, and hit the Sliding Kick along the apron.
After another commercial Flair went for the Queen’s Boot but Asuka ‘countered’ with a messy Knee Attack. Asuka went for the Asuka Lock but Flair escaped the hold twice with the second escape sending both women through the ropes to the floor. Back in the ring the women traded blows, then dodged strikes until Flair used the Andrade flash Back Elbow to deck Asuka but just for a two count. Later, Flair countered boots up in the corner, swinging through the ropes and hitting Asuka with a Backbreaker. Flair then did the Kota Ibushi Moonsault to feet into a Standing Moonsault spot but just got a two count. Flair went for the Figure Four, only for Asuka to counter into the Asuka Lock but Flair countered with the flip back pin to get the three count and the win.
DANA BROOKE and MANDY ROSE had a promo hyping up the future return of live crowds.
It was confirmed that Rhea Ripley would defend the Raw Women’s Championship one on one against Charlotte Flair at Hell in a Cell.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships Match
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions NATALYA & TAMINA defeated NIA JAX & SHAYNA BASZLER
SARAH SCHREIBER interviewed the heels before the match, as Baszler complained about Jax being distracted “by things that don’t matter… Like Reginald”. Baszler told Reggie to stay backstage for the match and Jax reluctantly agreed. Tamina and Jax started off as Reginald watched from backstage but Jax quicked tagged out. A quick pie-face to Natalya made her tag in. Baszler controlled the arm by Natalya did fancy flip outs, getting a Single Arm Suplex throw for a one count. The women traded counter holds and pins for near falls until Baszler briefly locked in a Sharpshooter before Natalya escaped. Natalya’s Discus Clothesline attempt was ducked as Baszler used a Judo throw before hitting an arm snap.
Jax was tagged in, hitting a Leg Drop to the arm. Baszler tagged back in, going for the Arm Stomp but Reginald invited himself out to ringside much to Baszler’s disgust. So Baszler missed the stomp and Natalya hit a German Suplex. Back from commercial Natalya was controlled by Baszler before Natalya got a break with a rough, and not in a good way, Body Slam. Tags either side as Tamina peppered Jax with strikes, leading to rolling down the back Sunset Flip style but rolling out, setting up a low Superkick for a two count.
Tamina went up top but Jax caught her, trying for a Samoan Drop but Tamina escaped, but another Superkick attempt was dodged to send the foot into the ropes. Jax then did a really sloppy Roll Up for a near fall. Baszler was tagged in, hitting strikes before she tagged Jax in to hit a corner Splash then tagged back in to hit a Pump Knee Strike to the corner to get a two count. Tamina fought out from the heel corner, and dumped Baszler with a Powerslam after Baszler’s attempt to knock Natalya from the apron failed.
Natalya got the tag, and used a Slingshot to send Baszler into a Superkick to the stomach but Jax broke up the pin attempt. Tamina tackled Jax to the floor, but after a little brawl Jax used a Back Drop to send Tamina over the barricade. In the ring Baszler missed a Pump Knee to the corner, and Natalya hit the Discus Clothesline. Going for the Sharpshooter, Reginald got on the apron to distract but it ended up making the ref miss Baszler reversing into a Small Package so by the time the ref made the count Natalya could kick out at two.
Baszler yelled at Reginald to leave, and he did. But when he arrived at the ramp a pyro explosion went off, similar to last week caused by Alexa Bliss & Lily, blinding Reginald. Baszler was distracted enough to be scooped into a SMALL PACKAGE OF DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM as the champions retained. Furious with the loss, after thge match Baszler hauled Reginald up and yelled that she’d face him next week and make him wish he’d been in that explosion.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Alexa Bliss suffered a sad incident with her pet pig passing away on the day of the show, likely the reason for her not being on Raw but the storyline continues with setting off a new explosion. Surely Jax and Baszler will be out of tag title matches now after this loss. The tag champs need new opponents and Baszler and Jax need a new storyline which seems to be already here against Bliss (and Lily).
I’m not really sure what the point of having Ripley, who is still relatively new to Raw, taking a silly time limit loss like this if it’s not going to lead to anything for her or Cross. Asuka’s loss takes her out of the title conversation which isn’t unexpected after two straight PPV pin losses, but I can’t say I’m excited for, surprise surprise, Flair once again in a title match. If it gives Ripley a stand out victory and title defence then that’s all well and good. But the fear is, as it’s been for a while, that the WWE can’t yet handle having the Four Horsewomen out of the title conversation for too long. We’ll see if the WWE is ready to move on at Hell in a Cell.
That’s your lot for this week! Be sure to stop by in seven day’s time for the next edition of the RAW RECAP! See you then!