Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! The Royal Rumble is in the history books and it saw Bayley last for over an hour to win the Women’s Rumble Match and book a place at WrestleMania. The only choice now is which Championship she’ll challenge for and we may find that out this week with Bayley being advertised to this week’s Raw. So what twists and turns will we see as we head on the Road to WrestleMania? Let’s get into it, and find out…
Backstage at the clubhouse of The Judgement Day, RHEA RIPLEY brushed off the potential threat of Bayley challenging her, and told her men to send a message tonight since they couldn’t do it at the Royal Rumble.
Tag Team Match
SHAYNA BASZLER & ZOEY STARK defeated CHELSEA GREEN & PIPER NIVEN
Right off the bell Niven squashed Stark in the corner with a Splash and out of the corner a Clothesline decked Stark, only for her to come back with a Chinbuster. Baszler was able to hit a kick to Niven’s back to stagger before Stark managed to hit a Superkick to level Niven. Baszler was tagged and she hit some mounted strikes then the Arm Stomp. Baszler tried to apply a Kimura Lock but ended up backed into a corner to break it.
Green got a tag, and she didn’t look thrilled about it and her hesitation allowed Stark to be tagged. Green avoided contact, sliding in through Stark’s legs to avoid being clubbed and then avoiding a charge to send Stark into the ropes. Baszler locked on the Kirifuda Clutch to Green who managed to slip free and send Baszler through the ropes. Before Green managed to sidestep a Missile Dropkick attempt by Stark. Green hit a Zig Zag for a near fall.
Green went for a tag, but Baszler pulled Niven from the apron. That distraction allowed Stark to hit Z-360 and get the victory.
JACKIE REDMOND interviewed BECKY LYNCH backstage. Lynch admitted that she let a lot of people, and herself, down at the Rumble by not winning. But vowed not to stay down and still said her target was to take ‘that title’ to the main event where it belongs.
Non-Title Tag Team Match
THE KABUKI WARRIORS (ASUKA & KAIRI SANE) defeated NATALYA & TEGAN NOX
Natalya and Nox didn’t get a televised entrance. Nox and Sane started off, and Sane used the referee to hide behind and dart from side to side to frustrate Nox before landing a kick. Sane applied a Headlock but Nox escaped and used a leg trip to set up for a Cradle pin for just a count of one. Natalya took a tag, leading to a double team of a Drop Toe Hold by Nox to set up a Basement Dropkick by Natalya for a two count.
Sane used a hair pull to slam Natalya down. Tagging out to Asuka before Asuka put her boots up so Sane could slam Natalya’s head into them. But Natalya soon came back by driving Asuka’s head into a corner before tagging out. Nox hit some strikes and soon after a European Uppercut to the corner then a Jumping Kick to Asuka, setting things up for the high angle Cannonball. Sane tried to interfere but got cut off by Natalya, leading to stereo PKs by Natalya and Nox to both Warriors.
After a commercial break, Sane was tagged in to be legal against Nox. The Warriors hit tandem offence of kicks, then a Facecrusher by Asuka to set up a Basement Dropkick by Sane. Nox was roughed up in the Champ’s corner with some stomps before Asuka took a tag. Nox tried to fight back, getting out of the heel’s corner and managing to toss Sane out of the ring when she came in. But an attempt at an Enzigiri was countered into Asuka’s Ankle Lock. Trapped in it and when Nox tried to tag her way out, Sane hauled Natalya off the apron. Nox managed to counter the German Suplex attempt with a Samson Clutch for a near fall.
Nox ducked shots, managing to hit a Headbutt then a European Uppercut. Nox finally made the tag so Natalya could come in and hit some strikes then a couple of Snap Suplexes. Natalya hit a Release German Suplex then the Discus Clothesline, but her attempt at The Sharpshooter was broken up by Sane who got tossed out for her troubles. Natalya called for a tag, but Nox went instead for a PK along the apron to Sane but she countered to sweep the leg and drive Nox down.
Natalya used a Baseball Slide to send Sane down, and avoided a Hip Attack from Asuka before pulling her from the ropes into a Small Package for a near fall. Asuka prevented another Sharpshooter attempt and caught Natalya with a Head Kick when she charged in. A tag to Sane set up the Warriors new double team finisher of a Reverse DDT by Asuka while Sane hit the In-Sane Elbow for the victory.
After the match, KAYDEN CARTER and KATANA CHANCE were shown having been watching the match. Jackie Redmond interviewed them and they said they’d get their tag title rematch next week to reclaim the gold.
With The Kabuki Warriors, DAKOTA KAI (who no longer had her knee brace on) and WWE Women’s Champion IYO SKY already in the ring, BAYLEY was introduced as the Women’s Royal Rumble Match winner to come down to the ring. Bayley bragged that there’s never been a moment that the Women’s Tag Champs, the Women’s Champion and the Royal Rumble winner had all been in the ring at the same time. She mocked the fans for not believing in her vision and pointed out that she hadn’t even been on the poster for the Rumble but still won.
Rhea Ripley of course interrupted and mocked Bayley for thinking she had accomplished something. Warning Bayley that if she picks her to face at Mania she’d still end up without gold unlike the rest of Damage CTRL.
NIA JAX then attacked Ripley from behind. The fight went to the ring but Jax squashed Ripley down while Damage CTRL watched from a corner. Jax hit a trio of Leg Drops to Ripley, with Damage CTRL doing nothing but looking more concerned with each shot, before Jax hit The Allihalator to Ripley. Tellingly, the rest of Damage CTRL bailed to leave Bayley alone to be backed into a corner by Jax who warned Bayley that she could pick anyone to face, but Ripley wouldn’t be making it to Mania. Bayley quickly claimed she’d made her announcement of her Mania opponent on Smackdown before Jax left with Ripley down and hurt on the canvas.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Ripley versus Jax has been teased for a while, and that could perhaps be the Elimination Chamber match for the Women’s World Championship. All rumours point to Bayley challenging Iyo Sky but we’ll see on Smackdown what turn of events will happen with that. Elsewhere we got plenty of tag team action with two matches. Another win for Baszler and Stark as their climb continues, while the new tag champs of the Warriors got a showcase win. They’re trying to tell a teacher-student story with Nox and Natalya but that’s been tried before and it’s hard to get invested in that and the mild crowd reaction to Nox and Natalya showed that. They need something more than just this.
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!