Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION! The Royal Rumble is in the history books and it saw The Nightmare, Rhea Ripley go bell to bell as the number one entry to win the Women’s Rumble Match. And that seems to set up a potential clash at WrestleMania with the Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair who retained her title over Alexa Bliss. But with Ripley set to make her announcement this week on her Mania opponent, will she stay with The Judgement Day on Raw or go to Smackdown to settle an old score with former rival Charlotte Flair? And what announcements will we get for the Elimination Chamber event on the Road to WrestleMania? Let’s get into it, and find out…
Women’s Singles Match
Women’s Tag Team Champion IYO SKY w/h BAYLEY & DAKOTA KAI defeated CANDICE LERAE w/h MICHIN
The announcers said that Kai had ‘suffered an injury’ during the Rumble match but gave no specific details. The women went to try to get the edge with misdirection early, with Sky doing a Matrix evasion and using a Roll-up pull to almost sent LeRae tumbling into the referee. At one point, the action literally paused, the announcers claiming Lerae was ‘uncertain’ before LeRae eventually went for a Jackknife Pin for a two count. LeRae’s step-up Senton getting a near fall. Sky came back with a dirty trick pull to send Lerae into the middle rope, then hitting a Flapjack right after.
The match went to in-picture to show a movie advert. Going back to live action LeRae fought out of a Japanese Stranglehold, leading to LeRae hitting a running low Kick to a kneeling Sky. Moments later LeRae hit a Baseball Slide to Sky on the floor, but Sky impressively countered being sent back in with a Tiger Feint Kick on the apron to kick LeRae. Sky then impressively turning a Suicide Dive into a Crossbody to LeRae on the floor as LeRae didn’t seem to be in the proper position to take the proper dive. Sky spent a little too long mouthing at fans, getting caught with a one-footed Dropkick getting back into the ring from LeRae. Setting up a Springboard Crossbody from the apron to wipe out Sky.
The match AGAIN went to in-picture adverts and this time for a few minutes. Eventually returning to live action properly as LeRae hit a Missle Dropkick for a near fall. LeRae seemed to be setting up Sky for the Super Neckbreaker but Sky escaped, dropping down to yank LeRae down for the back of the head hitting the top buckle spot. Leading to the Double Underhook Backbreaker which in turn set up a Running Meteora to Lerae in the corner. Sky went up top but Lerae managed to rush up and catch Sky, hitting the Super German Suplex out of the corner for a near fall.
Moments later LeRae countered the Electric Chair Drop with a Poison Rana but again could only get a near fall. LeRae set up Sky again for the Super Neckbreaker but this got shoved down, but Sky going for the Over The Moionsault only got knees from LeRae. LeRae scooped up Sky with a Small Package but Dakota distracted the referee until Michin stormed around the ring, so Sky was able to kick out when the official finally counted. LeRae hit a Codebreaker but was distracted by Damage CTRL again as she had to deck Bayley when she got onto the apron. Sky able to scoop up LeRae from behind for a Sunset Flip hold to steal the win.
RHEA RIPLEY went to the ring for her winner’s promo. Bragging that she wanted the attention all for herself and upset the status quo with her win. Ripley recounting her loss a few years ago to Charlotte Flair over the NXT Women’s Championship. Making a sly remark about how Flair always seems to be in the title picture. Saying she was the ‘Disruptor’ and didn’t like the natural flow of things with Flair always being on top. Announcing that she was going to face Flair at WrestleMania!
CATHY KELLEY handled interview duties.
A surprise appearance backstage by Smackdown’s Maximum Male Models as MAXXINE DUPRE described Alpha Academy’s Otis as ‘perfect’.
Bayley came out again, returning to the ring but alone. Bragging about what she and Damage CTRL did at Raw 30 then dominated at the Royal Rumble. Claiming she was done with Lynch now but of course this brought out BECKY LYNCH who said they weren’t done. Lynch claiming that she’d won the Rumble before and just wanted to make sure Damage CTRL didn’t win, which Bayley instantly called out as just being an excuse. Lynch countering that Bayley was full of excuses like attacking her before the bell and denying the fans a Steel Cage Match.
Bayley came back with her own insults, claiming she knew Becky better than herself and making things personal claiming Lynch wasn’t even good enough for her husband Seth Rollins. “The only reason he married you was because he knocked you up!” Lynch appeared rattled by this, thinking this had only been a wrestling rivalry but once again demanded a Steel Cage Match for next week ‘where it all began’ in NXT’s home state of Florida. Bayley of course refused.
Lynch then briefly went to the back, before dragging out ‘injuryed’ Dakota kai with her ankle trapped in a steel chair. Lynch showing some old ruthlessness as she threatened to break Kai’s leg with the chair, forcing Bayley to accept and save her stablemate. Lynch showing ‘mercy’ now she got her match but mentioning that Bayley should ‘check on Sky’ in the back as Lynch marched off.
In a backstage interview WWE Official Adam Pearce announced that Bianca Belair’s WrestleMania opponent for the Raw Women’s Championship would be decided in the Women’s Elimination Chamber Match at the upcoming PLE. The match being inter-promotional with the final four ‘non-winners’ from the Women’s Rumble Match – Nikki Cross, Raquel Rodriguez, Liv Morgan and Asuka – already automatically qualifying. Next week will have a Fatal Four Way Match to decide another entry between Michin, Candice LeRae, Piper Niven and the returning Carmella!
Pearce was interrupted by CHELSEA GREEN who was showing off a Diva character, complaining about not having a private dressing room or Swiss chocolate.
CARMELLA herself returned to our screens in a backstage interview, referring to herself as her old gimmick of the Princess of Staten Island. ASUKA appeared, looking far more stylish than her previous wild form as Carmella mouthed off that she was ready for Asuka. That was, until Asuka showed off a deranged smile, green teeth and started drooling the ‘mist spray’ from her lips to send Carmella scurrying off.
Rhea Ripley along with the rest of The Judgement Day accompanied Finn Balor to the ring for his match in a loss to Cody Rhodes. But during a brawl with Edge and the men of The Judgement Day BETH PHOENIX made another surprise appearance like at the Rumble, hitting Ripley with a Spear on the outside.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
A surprise of Rhea Ripley choosing to face Smackdown’s Women’s Champion, perhaps an early sign that The Judgement Day are going to be splitting up since Ripley should be changing brands to face Flair but perhaps the WWE are just going to ignore that fact with how often Supertsars from the other show appear on the other brand these days. They’re loading up the Chamber Match at least with big names to potentially face Belair but surely a big heel name will be added to the match (possibly Ronda Rousey?) to give Belair a major heel to face off against.
LeRae put on a much better performance in this match, aside from that one pause in the match before the Jackknife Pin, as the feud between LeRae/Michin and Damage CTRL rolls on. Meanwhile, the WWE seems to be relenting in a rare moment to give us that Cage Match we’d all been looking forward to. Ending the feud at last after a couple weeks delay between Lynch and Bayley. And speaking of feuds with Edge’s return and bringing back Beth Phoenix, will this lead to a mixed tag of Dominick Mysterio and Rhea Ripley against the ‘Grit Couple’ at Elimination Chamber? It would keep Ripley busy with the two months before Maina and the match against Flair.
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!