Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! We are just days away from WrestleMania, and before the biggest events of the WWE year there’s a loaded eight-woman tag team match. The teams that will be facing off against one another at Mania now put into two mega teams, leaving the old question of CaN tHeY cOeXiSt ahead of the weekend. In addition, an apparent Champions versus Challengers tag match with the singles titles has been advertised then axed after Ronda Rousey said on social media she would not be at Raw. So will there be any last minute hype between Bianca Belair and Becky Lynch? Let’s get into it, and find out…
If you thought the 24/7 Championship garbage couldn’t get worse? Backstage Reggie proposed to DANA BROOKE before Akira proposed to TAMINA (oh boy) and even worse, both women accepted.
CARMELLA and QUEEN ZELINA bragged about their plan from last week backstage. Being confronted by SHAYNA BASZLER and NATALYA as they warned them against any more cheap shots this week.
Eight-Woman Tag Team Match
LIV MORGAN, NAOMI, RHEA RIPLEY & SASHA BANKS defeated NATALYA, SHAYNA BASZLER & Women’s Tag Team Champions CARMELLA & QUEEN ZELINA
The heel side didn’t get a proper entrance. Natalya and Morgan started off, with Natalya going early for The Sharpshooter but being shoved off, and Morgan snapping off a Headscissors moments later. Morgan tagged in Ripley, with a Morgan Snapmare setting up a Running Basement Dropkick from Ripley. However, Naomi tagged herself in much to Ripley’s annoyance, only for Naomi to get clobbered with Forearms as she got dragged over for Natalya to tag out to Baszler. Baszler hitting body shots before Zelina was tagged in to hit some stomps.
Naomi mounted a comeback with a Side Chinbreaker, then doing her Bulldog into the corner spot as Banks tagged in. The former Team B.A.D. duo performing a Double Team Running Stomp to the head spot as Naomi did the splits for the shot. Carmella broke up the pin, and the women got their spots in as Naomi tried to get rid of Carmella only for Baszler to come in and hit a Head Kick. Morgan hit the Enzigri to Baszler, only yo be decked by Natalya’s Discus Clothesline. Ripley hit a Headbutt to Natalya, and then ate a Superkick from Carmella. Banks tried for the Backstabber on Carmella, but Zelina pulled Banks to the floor, sending her in to the barricade and hitting a Running Knee Strike.
Back from commercial Carmella was working over Banks, before Banks managed to break free and hit a Backstabber. The heels dragged Morgan and Liv off the apron, before Baszler was tagged in and she prevented Banks from tagging out to Naomi, knocking Naomi off the apron for good measure. Baszler applied an Elevated Stretch Muffler to Banks, tagging in Natalya as the duo hit the Hart Attack Clothesline but Zelina had blind tagged in. Tossing Natalya to the floor to try and steal the win but outraged, Baszler dragged Zelina off the pin. That led to Carmella pulling Baszler to the floor and getting decked for her trouble.
Zelina was left alone as the faces took shots. Banks holding Zelina’s leg and able to tag out to Naomi, before Banks hit her High Knee Strike to set up a Head Kick from Naomi. Morgan tagged in just for Ripley to tag off of her, as Morgan’s double foot shove off spot send Zelina into The Riptide by Ripley for the victory.
BIANCA BELAIR returned to Raw for an in-ring promo, with the fans divided with as much Becky chants as EST chants. Belair claimed her ‘confidence’ (arrogance?) made Lynch nervous as she delivered another more of the same promo. BECKY LYNCH finally interrupted but trying to sneak attack Belair was ready and saw Lynch coming in from behind. Lynch used a chair to slam into Belair before producing a pair of scissors, trying to claim the braid but Belair countered and hit the KOD. Before getting payback of her own, hitting a second KOD before using the scissors to snip off some of Lynch’s hair. Not going to make her bald, but snipping off enough of the hair even as WWE officials SONYA DEVILLE and Adam Pearce came out. The incident left Lynch mumbling manically while the fans chanted ‘You Deserve It!’ to further her rage.
Lynch refused an interview from SARAH SCHREIBER backstage, grabbing her mic and tossing it down before calling Belair ‘YOU BITCH!’.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Perhaps oddly done, but going with actions with Belair hitting KODs then cutting some of the hair was far more effective than mere promos which Belair has constantly struggled with. It also doesn’t lean towards either woman looking clear to winning which is even better for the high stakes, high profile match. Elsewhere, Zelina and Carmella suffer yet another loss as we look even more set for new tag champs at Mania. Money seems to be on one of the female duos winning but that’s no certainty of course.
That’s your lot for this week! Stop by in seven days time for the infamous ‘Raw After Mania’ and all the fallout from the biggest shows of the years with the next edition of the RAW RECAP! See you then!