Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLUTION! The Crown Jewel even is in the history books and it saw one champion retain while two more were crowned. Bayley failing to capture the raw Women’s Championship in her Last Woman Standing Match against Bianca Belair. But the other Damage CTRL members recaptured the Women’s Tag Team Championships thanks to Nikki Cross interfering. So what’s next for the Women’s division with Survivor Series, and the all-Women’s War Games match, next on the horizon? Let’s get into it, and find out…
The war between The Judgement Day and The OC took a new twist as The OC revealed the returning MIA YIM as the problem solver. Yim, who last was seen in WWE as the masked Reckoning, was now unmasked as she attacked RHEA RIPLEY from behind then with a Kendo Stick as The Judgement Day and The OC brawled.
Later on in the night, perhaps foreshadowing War Games, after The Judegment Day were licking their wounds backstage there was a brief face-off between Ripley and BIANCA BELAIR.
CATHY KELLEY handled interview duties.
Bianca Belair would head to the ring with ALEXA BLISS and ASUKA. During the entrance, the Bray Wyatt (or should that be ‘Uncle Howdy’?) logo flashed on the entrance screen briefly in another reference to Alexa Blisss’ past just like at Crown Jewel. Footage being showed of a ‘parking lot yelling match’ filmed earlier in the day. Belair bragged about winning at Crown Jewel but said the issues with Damage CTRL weren’t over. After calling out their rivals BAYLEY, DAKOTA KAI and IYO SKY. Kai ranting that Belair hasn’t really beaten Bayley yet. Bliss took exception to the new champs bragging. Asuka and Sky then yelled at one another in their native tongue before Iyo simply, in English, called Asuka a bitch.
That led to a brawl between the two groups which the faces got the better of. As Damage CTRL regrouped, Belair vowed that the issues between them all would finally end at WAR GAMES! However, NIKKI CROSS jumped Belair from behind and that allowed Damage CTRL to hit the ring as they got the edge. Kai and Sky sending Belair to take a belly shot from Cross before Bayley hit the Rose Plant. Cross decked Asuka when she tried to take down Bayley, which left Asuka to be tossed into the ring post by Kai and Sky while Cross hit the Magic Screw Neckbreaker on Bliss just like she did at Crown Jewel.
Backstage Damage CTRL gave Cross a pep talk about destroying Dana Brooke tonight and then letting loose all her pent-up rage at Survivor Series.
WWE 24/7 Championship Match
NIKKI CROSS defeated DANA BROOKE
The announcers claimed Brooke was a fighting Champion, but this is the first time we’ve seen Brooke or the 24/7 title in weeks if not months. Damage CTRL had made their way to ringside to watch with Bayley joining commentary. Cross started off hot with a charging Crossbody, then clubbing blows before hitting a corner Splash and then stomping away. Bayley just remarking ‘just look at her’ when justifying having Cross on her side. Bayley side-stepped answering what the real relationship was between Cross and her group as Cross locked on a Japanese Chokehold while Cross grinned wickedly.
Brooke fought back with counter strikes then wildly clubbing away at Cross. Bayley dryly saying she couldn’t wait for War Games and that Belair had made a big mistake. Cross came back with a hairpull slam then driving Brooke’s head into the mat as Bayley said Damage CTRL was reaping the benefits of all the pent-up anger that they and Cross had. After choking Brooke on the ropes Cross hit the Magic Screw with Brooke hung on the middle of the top rope to score a rather squash-like win. As Cross left the ring and went up the ramp she seemed to not care that Bayley put the newly won title onto her shoulder.
That continued backstage when Cross looked like she was dumping the gold into a big trash can, but actually ended up missing the can completely so the belt just hit the ground behind it. Perhaps a fitting end for the green and gold belt to be trashed after being ignored on TV for so long.
Elsewhere backstage The OC bragged about their new member as Mia Yim vowed to show Ripley what happens when she faces someone who can actually hit her back.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
It was odd for the WWE to bring back the 24/7 Championship after ignoring it for so long just to write it off with a literal trashing (or at least an attempted one). But the title has still been defended and used at live events so perhaps WWE management finally decided to rip away Dana Brooke’s pride and joy once and for all. It was ultimately the boose Cross needed after the burial last week as she’s gotten the heat back on her now.
War Games is sizing up nicely with Damage CTRL and Cross on one side and Belair, Bliss and Asuka on the other. One would assume Rhea Ripley would go with the heels to be their last teammate, leaving Mia Yim to fill a spot on the other side. The faces free space perhaps for Candice LeRae? Beth Phoenix? Or someone else? We’ll have to wait and see on that front.
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!