Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! Clash at the Castle is fast approaching but before then, we have the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships to finally decide. The tournament concluding days before the Premium Live Event in Wales to pit ‘Damage Control’ of Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai from Raw against Smackdown’s Aliyah and Raquel Rodriguez. Will there be an upset in the crowning of now champs? And will the rivals of Bayley’s group in Bianca Belair and crew play any part in deciding the match? Let’s get into it, and find out…
RHEA RIPLEY accompanied The Judgement Day as they faced AJ Styles and Dolph Ziggler. That led to Ripley standing her ground against Edge and Mysterios, ready to fight them all before Balor and Priest hauled her away.
ALIYAH and RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ had a short, uneventful promo.
Six-Woman Tag Team Match
ALEXA BLISS, ASUKA & Raw Women’s Champion BIANCA BELAIR defeated Dani Moe, Kay Sparks & Katy Arc
The trio of local talents naturally didn’t get any entrances or even a name graphic, so apologies for mispelling their names. Belair started and easily shoved Moe away as Sparks tagged in. and got a faceplant from a shove. Arc was tagged as Belair did her flip spots and corner taunt, leading to Belair’s Single Leg Dropklick and a kip up. Belair dared for the other two locals to come in, before ducking their attempted double Clothesline so Asuka and Bliss could take them out with Dropkicks.
Belair hit a Delayed Suplex on Arc before tagging in Bliss as she hit her new Insult to Injury combo we saw used last week. Asuka got a tag as she got onto the middle ropes to stick her hips out for Bliss to just whip Hark’s head into. Asuka daring Arc to fight back, just to send her down with a misdirection shoulder check. Hark avoided a corner Hip Attack to tag out to Moe, only for her to get hit with Asuka’s flurry of strikes leading to the Release German Suplex. Arc broke up the pin, and ate a Head Kick from Asuka, setting up a Goddess DDT from Bliss. Sparks came in without a tag, just to get dumped down by Belair with a KOD. Asuka hit a Russian Legsweep on Moe and locked in a ground submission to get the squash victory over the local talents.
After the match the faces cut brief promos promising victory at Clash at the Castle.
BAYLEY, DAKOTA KAI and IYO SKY had promos vowing to take Control and the Women’s Tag Team Champions.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Tournament – Finals/Championship Decision Match
ALIYAH & RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ defeated DAKOTA KAI & IYO SKY w/h BAYLEY
Aliyah and Sky started off, exchanging pin holds before Aliyah got a headlock to pull Sky to her corner as Rodriguez tagged in. Aliyah doing a splits dropdown as Sky ran over, eating a Big Boot from Rodriguez for a two count. Moments later Sky turned a Victory Roll into a Double Stomp into Rodriguez’s gut. Kai was tagged, hitting a Scorpion Kick that set up Sky hitting a Missile Dropkick to get Kai a near fall. Backstage DANA BROOKE (no 24/7 title again), DOUDROP, NIKKI A.S.H. and TAMINA were watching the match before back in the ring Rodriguez tagged out, then using a Gorilla Press to send Aliyah to do a Crossbody onto kai for a two count.
Aliyah did a Matrix dodge then a Splits Hiptoss that sent Kai rolling out of the ring. Aliyah tagged to Rodriguez then tried for a Baseball Slide, just ending up being sent into the ringsteps. Rodriguez tried going after the heels but the numbers were too much as Rodriguez took a running Kick along the apron from Kai. Sky was shipped in to hit a super safe Meteora to Aliyah sat against the ring steps.
Back from a commercial break Rodriguez was worked over with kicks from both heels, leading to a Low Dropkick to get Sky a two count. Kai tagged in to hit a Headscissors Driver to a kneeling Rodriguez for another near fall. Rodriguez fought back against the numbers, wildly launching Sky back into Kai after Sky had blind tagged in. Hitting strikes on both opponents then corner Splashes before hitting a Senton out of a Vader Bomb for a two count on Sky. Sky countered a Powerbomb attempt into a Rolling Yoshi Tonic for a two count.
Bayley finally got involved, able to pull Rodriguez down by the hair as Kai distracted the ref so Sky could hit a Double Stomp. Kai hit her Running Boot to the corner before Sky hit the Over the Moonsault but Rodriguez still kicked out at two. Bliss, Asuka and Belair then ran down, chasing Bayley away and through the crowd and distracted, Sky and Kai didn’t see Aliyah get a tag as she dropped back down to the floor. Kai hit her Sunset Flip Backstabber on Rodriguez to set up a Crucifix Driver from Sky. Aliyah snuck in and rolled up Kai, who wasn’t even the legal woman on her team, to steal the victory! Asuka, Bliss and Belair reappeared to celebrate with the new, unlikely Tag Team Champions while Damage Control seethed at ringside.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A very surprising outcome for the tournament which has been hit with last minute changes. Kai being not the legal woman might either give Damage Control an out for taking the loss or set up a rematch after Clash, but the heels could bounce back easily with the expected win at Clash. Aliyah and Rodriguez as the first new champs doesn’t bode well for the future of the titles, especially with Aliyah’s lacking in-ring ability, but we will see if any other teams are formed or get called up. Seeing local talents used after what feels like forever was harmless, and gave the faces an easy TV win to keep attention on the PLE match upcoming so no complaints there.
That’s your lot for this week! Stop by in seven days’ time and we’ll have all the fall-out from Clash at the Castle with the next edition of the RAW RECAP! See you then!