Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLUTION! Summerslam is in the history books, and the full force of the Golden Role Models is no more! While Bayley was able to escape with the Smackdown Women’s Championship, her Tag Team title partner Sasha Banks wasn’t so lucky. Once again Banks’ curse of failing to defend singles gold struck again as Asuka got revenge by regaining the Raw Women’s Championship with the Asuka Lock. With only days to go before the they have to defend their Women’s Tag Team Championships, how can the Role Models bounce back on Raw? Let’s get into it, and find out!
SARAH SCHREIBER interviewed NIA JAX backstage as she said she had be reinstated. SHAYNA BASZLER showed up, mocking Jax by saying everyone was just waiting to see Jax getting suspended again. Baszler brushed off the suggestion from Jax of being an ally.
Non-Title Singles Match
SHAYNA BASZLER defeated Women’s Tag Team Champion & Smackdown Women’s Champion BAYLEY w/h Women’s Tag Team Champion SASHA BANKS
It was clear from looks and body language during their entrance that all wasn’t well in the camp of the Role Models. Nia Jax decided to come out to watch the match from the ramp anyway much to Baszler’s annoyance. Bayley tried to counter Baszler’s arm grip but Baszler easily kept control to work over the limb. Bayley played with fire showing off some technical skill of her own, only to be clubbed down by Forearms before taking a Pump Knee Strike in a corner.
Baszler countered a roll-up into a Triangle Choke, but broke it when Banks faked coming into the ring. Allowing Bayley to cheap shot and take control. A suplex getting a two count. After some strikes Bayley hit a Sliding Back Elbow to the back then a Sliding Clothesline for a near fall. Baszler was sent to the floor and when she tried getting in Jax ran down for a sneak attack pulling Baszler off the apron. The two brawled a bit with Baszler even managing a Judo Throw to counter Jax. However, when the Role Models kept mouthing off the two rivals stopped fighting as faced down the tag champs for unlikely unity.
Backstage CHARLY CARUSO interviewed the Role Models who claimed that they would ‘take care’ of Jax and Baszler after Banks won back the Raw Women’s Title.
ZELINA VEGA backstage still denied she was poisioner even when Angel Garza just said that Vega had been caught.
Another confrontation between Jax and Baszler happened as Jax claimed they could work together to win the tag titles at Payback. But clearly the two weren’t on the same page, especially when Baszler just slapped Jax in the face. LIV MORGAN and RUBY RIOTT then strolled by when they left, meeting up with BIANCA BELAIR as they vowed to get some payback on their respective rivals.
Six-Woman Tag Team Match
BIANCA BELAIR, LIV MORGAN & RUBY RIOTT defeated The IIconics (BILLIE KAY & PEYTON ROYCE) & ZELINA VEGA
Despite scoring back to back wins during prior weeks The IIconics didn’t get a TV entrance and only part of Vega’s was shown. Kay started off with Morgan as The IIconics soon worked Morgan over with a double team strike. Morgan came back with a Jumping Back Elbow to Royce in the babyface corner, tagging in Riott who got whipped into delivering a Clothesline. Royce made a tag and then shoved Riott into taking Shades of Kay to get Kay a two count.
Double team kicks came from The IIconics before Vega got the tag to get an Axe Kick, then hitting a Running Knee Strike in the corner to Riott for a near fall. Riott escaped a Dragon Sleeper, and Vega paid for taunting Belair as she soon got the tag. Belair easily cleaning house and taking The IIconics out of the corner before impressively flipping out from a Vega Headscissors.
Belair hit a Glam Slam before using a Shining Star Press (famed finisher of NXT starlet Santana Garrett) but The IIconics broke the pin up. Morgan and Riott took out The IIconics with in sync Enzigiris. Vega tried to steal the win with a Roll-up but Belair soon hit the Kiss of Death for the win.
NATALYA and LANA held a clearly mocking ‘ceremony’ Mickie James career. Showing a blank screen to claim there was no highlights. MICKIE JAMES then came down, easily shoving down Natalya and wiping Lana down again with a Mick Kick. I never get tired of seeing that!
Raw Women’s Championship Match – Lumberjill Match
Raw Women’s Champion ASUKA defeated Women’s Tag Team Champion SASHA BANKS w/h Women’s Tag Team Champion & Smackdown Women’s Champion BAYLEY
The lumberjills were Natalya, Lana, The IIconics, The Riott Squad, Shayna Baszler, Mickie James and Bianca Belair. Banks tried for a Roll-up early but was sent to the floor first, shoving Riott away and then eating a Hip Attack to send her down. As Bayley checked over her partner the other women swarmed with a divide of heels and faces with Baszler at the front staring down her future Payback opponents.
After a commercial the Role Models took advantage of the rules as Banks held Asuka on the floor for Bayley to land a gut punch. As Bayley counts as a Lumberjill no DQ could be called. Back in the ring Banks ran into a wild high Kick to the face that set up Asuka hitting the Deep Impact DDT off the middle ropes for a near fall. The Ankle Lock followed but Banks countered to send Asuka out through the ropes. Banks ran the apron but her Crossbody ended up wiping out The Riott Squad instead as Asuka avoided.
Asuka got a Sliding Kick along the apron to Banks. Asuka made the mistake of going after Bayley who shoved Natalya, Lana and The IIconics one by one into Asuka’s path to be shoved away. Before Banks attacked from behind to send Asuka into the steps. Banks sent Asuka in and hit the Frog Splash for a two count. Banks called for Bayley to get a chair, but Baszler attacked her Payback opponent to stop the interference. Asuka pounded with the Asuka Lock to force Banks to once again tap out two nights in a row.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Obviously there was going to be rushed booking with only one episode of Raw to build a tag title challenge for the Role Models. The backstage segments worked fine and especially with Baszler playing a role in the outcome of the Raw Women’s title match. It seems there will be more with Baszler and Jax to come in the future post Payback but their miscommunication should be a fine excuse for the Role Models to escape with the tag titles. The Lumberjill Match was by far the worst bout we’ve seen involving Banks and Asuka who tried their best but the overbooking with the outside factors hurt the match. Asuka will be free to move on to as new feud after Payback however.
Elsewhere it seems the push of Peyton Royce might have stalled with an indirect loss in the six-woman tag (which to be fair served more to end the feud with Vega and Belair) and then being tossed about as a Lumberjill. And Natalya and Lana’s pairing continues to not prove anything exciting, except for letting us get to see Mickie James lay out Lana again. Which is a win in my book!
That’s your lot for this week! Be sure to stop by in seven days time and we’ll have all the fallout from Payback with the next edition of the RAW RECAP! See you then!