Welcome one and all to the RAW RECAP presented by THE REVELLEUTION!
We’re on the Road to WrestleMania but aside from the set-in-stone matches for the WWE Women’s and Women’s World Championships, the other Women’s singles and tag titles don’t yet have matches for the biggest shows of the year. Tonight, we will at least get a Number One Contender for the Women’s IC title named but presumably for a match on an upcoming Raw. Who will secure a match against AJ Lee in the future? And what’s next between title rivals Liv Morgan and Stephanie Vaquer? Let’s get into it, and find out…
This week’s ‘Arrived Earlier Today’ videos included ASUKA and KAIRI SANE who arrived as IYO SKY eyed them up in the background with concern.
JACKIE REDMOND handled interview duties.
Gauntlet Match – Number One Contendership for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship
BAYLEY defeated ASUKA (w/h KAIRI SANE), IVY NILE, IYO SKY, LYRA VALKYRIA and RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ.
Lyra Valkyria and Iyo Sky were the first entrants in the match. They started off with a lock-up that Sky got the better of with a kick to the gut then a Wristlock. Valkyria countered with the roll through and a Snapmare, only for Sky to quickly escape and get the arm again. The same happened with an attempt at a Monkey Flip escape by Valkyria when then used the textbook back bridge into an escape, using a Northern Lights Suplex toss but Sky again quickly countered with a Headscissors, leading to kip ups by both Superstars.
After a Headlock by Valkyria, some rope work led to a Spinning Heel Kick by Valkyria for a near fall. Sky escaped a Nightwing attempt, using misdirection to hit a Leg Trip that set up a Basement Dropkick. Sky would get sent to the floor, but dodged Valkyria’s Dropkick through the ropes spot and hit a Suicide Dive. Sky would go up top, thinking Dropkick but Valkyria cut her off with a Hot Shot onto the ropes, sending Sky back to the floor and that led to the Valkyria Dropkick, getting a two count in the ring.
A rest hold of a Surfboard by Valkyria led to Sky countering with a Roll-up for a near fall, before Valkyria got one off a Backslide and then worked over Sky with rest holds and Elbow Strikes to get another near fall. A Clothesline by Valkyria got a two count. Moments later, Sky hit a Flapjack before the women traded strikes as Sky got the better of it, hitting a Shotei before Valkyria began her strike combo. The gut shot was dodged as Sky hooked up Valkyria and hit the Double Underhook Backbreaker. The Bullet Train Attack followed and Sky went up for the Moonsault but was pulled back down. Moments later, Sky attempted a Sunset Flip Powerbomb from off the top, but Valkyria flipped out of it and hit a Step-up Enzigiri.
Valkyria slipped a bit on the ropes but still hit a Tornado DDT, floating over into a Fisherwoman’s Buster for a near fall. Sky countered another Nightwing attempt with a Samson Clutch into a Double Stomp. A Buzzsaw Kick set up for Over the Moonsault and a clean victory to eliminate Valkyria.
Raquel Rodriguez was the third entrant. Sky cut her off trying to enter the ring with a Dropkick, and she went for a Suicide Dive but Rodriguez’s power caught the move. Forcing Sky to escape the grip to her feet and hit some strikes before Rodriguez levelled her with a Clothesline on the floor. In the ring, Rodriguez hit the Vader Bomb Elbow but Sky grabbed the ropes to break the pin. Rodriguez went for the Tijana Bomb but Sky escaped over the ropes to the apron, catching Rodriguez with a Hot Shot but had to land on her feet off a Flying Nothing as Rodriguez dodged, and then wiped out Sky with a Pounce-like tackle.
Rodriguez hit a Snake Eyes to Sky on the announce table. Back inside, Rodriguez hit a hat trick of Elbow Drops for a near fall then applied a rest hold. Later, Rodriguez hit the Diesel Elbows in a corner before choking Sky on the ropes. The Blanchard Suplex got a near fall for Rodriguez. Moments later, Sky escaped what seemed to be a Super Powerslam attempt by Rodriguez, instead hitting a Frankenscreamer, leading to the Missile Dropkick, the kip ups and DOING THE THING!
Sky hit a Bullet Train Attack and went up top, but LIV MORGAN ran down and got on the apron to distract, allowing Rodriguez to yank Sky back down. STEPHANIE VAQUER then came out, getting some of her WrestleMania opponent with a Superkick before she roughed up Morgan and dragged her to the back. Distracted by all this, Rodriguez was hit with a Top Rope Crossbody by Sky into a Small Package to eliminate Rodriguez.
Furious by the elimination, Rodriguez decked Sky with a Big Boot that sent her to the floor. Rodriguez hit a Lawn Dart to the ringpost and then a Tijana Bomb to the apron before referees finally ordered Rodriguez to the back.
Ivy Nile ran out as the fourth entrant, and pinned Iyo Sky to eliminate her thanks to Rodriguez’s work.
Bayley was the fifth entrant. She made the mistake of showing concern for former Damage CTRL ally Sky and that allowed Nile to attack her on the outside from behind. Roughing her up with a shot to the apron then the ring steps. That continued in the ring before Bayley tried to rally with strikes, only to be shut down with a Hair-pull Mat Slam. More roughing up in corners followed, before a Clothesline got Nile a near fall before a long resthold of a Chinlock was applied.
Nile would hit a Gutwrench Suplex off a tilt-a-whirl for a near fall. Moments later, Bayley hit a Running Neckbreaker to turn the tide, rallying with Clotheslines then a Back Suplex, the Stunner through the ropes then a Running Knee Strike. The Elbow Drop off the middle rope to the back got Bayley a near fall. Nile escaped a Bayley-to-Belly attempt, but Bayley got a Roll-up for a near fall. Nile hit her Running Corner Kick then hit a Release German Suplex for a two count. Bayley would set up Nile in a corner with her back facing out, jumping onto her and snapping off a German Suplex from the unique position for a near fall.
Nile would escape a Rose Plant attempt and moments later hit a long Delayed Suplex (to a great reaction) for a two count. Nile would land another Running Kick to Bayley sitting on the ropes, hitting a Superplex before floating over and muscling up Bayley for the spin-out Urinagi but Bayley rolled to the floor. Nile went out after her but Bayley sent Nile into the ring steps. Moments later, Nile was set up across the apron as Bayley hit an Elbow Drop off the ring steps across the back of Nile’s head.
Back inside, Bayley landed the Bayley-to-Belly and eliminated Nile.
Asuka, accompanied by Kairi Sane, was the final entrant. Bayley hit a Suicide Dive to Asuka as she got to ringside, but right after Asuka used Sane as a human shield to distract and nail a Head Kick to Bayley. Inside the ring, Asuka hit a trio of kicks to the back then distracted the ref so Sane could land some cheap shots on Bayley. Asuka roughed up Bayley some more, then later hit some Kawada Kicks before she got a near fall off a Hair-pull Slam. Moments later, Asuka applied an Arm Bar that was countered with the pin hold. Bayley hit some wild clubbing blows in a corner before draping Asuka across that corner to hit a Double Knee Drop.
Bayley hit a Sunset Flip Bombo into a corner for a near fall. Asuka would use a leg trip into an Ankle Lock, holding on when Bayley tried to spin free and then smartly countering the roll through escape with a dropdown into a Samson Clutch for a near fall. Asuka hit a couple of kicks but (after the audible to the spot was heard) Bayley countered a Head Kick into a grounded Ankle Lock, with Asuka rolling them to the ropes. Bayley hit the Dropkick at the corner spot but back inside Asuka hit a Bang Kick then a Pop-up Knee Strike, only for Bayley to hit a Clothesline then a Running Knee Strike for a near fall.
Asuka hit a round of strikes for a two count then another Head Kick for a near fall. Bayley avoided the Sliding Kick, getting a near fall from a Roll-up before she hit the Bayley-to-Belly and got a two count. Asuka would shove Bayley off the ropes, sending her to the floor and distracted the ref to goad Sane into attacking Bayley. However, Lyra Valkyria came back out and took out Sane with a Running Dropkick. Asuka was distracted and got caught with Bayley’s Stunner through the ropes, but trying for the Elbow Drop off the middle rope back inside Asuka countered into the Asuka Lock.
Bayley rolled back in the Asuka Lock for a counter pin (the ref only countered one, ruining the spot by being focused on shoulders not being fully down) before Bayley nailed a Rose Plant to pin Asuka. Winning the Gauntlet Match and securing a Women’s IC title match next week against AJ Lee. Bayley and Valkyria celebrated as the show moved on.
NATTIE was interviewed. She ranted about Maxxine Dupri and claimed Dupri didn’t belong in her business. Claiming she wasted time ‘shaking her ass instead of making the division kiss hers’. MAXXINE DUPRI would attack Nattie from behind, laying her out with a Big Boot before being pulled off but Nattie got in a cheap shot before the show quickly cut away.
Stephanie Vaquer has a promo video with translations (even when she spoke in English), taking shots at Liv Morgan, claiming she hated Morgan because of her dirty tricks and hiding behind others.
Liv Morgan was furious about the video in the Judgement Day clubhouse, but turned her attention to the internal Judgement Day drama when Dominik Mysterio stormed in.
That would lead to an in-ring segment where the issues in the group boiled over as Finn Balor attacked Dominik Mysterio, but JD McDonagh then attacked Balor to side with Mysterio and the women joined the beatdown, kicking Balor out of the group.
Asuka would be seen barateing Kairi Sane over the evening’s events in the background of a Kofi Kingston-Je’Von Evans segment.
Bayley and Lyra Valkyria were interviewed and praised each other. Bayley said she couldn’t wait to get her hands on the IC title and said Valkyria would be first in line to get a shot at her, which only seemed to make this more awkward than usual between the two.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
The Gauntlet Match was a great contest with everyone getting a chance to shine. The outcome was a surprise as it seemed like Iyo Sky was being lined up to win from segments last week. One has to wonder if Sky is in any plans for a WrestleMania match if she’s not going to get in any IC title match (if they go with the expected Rematch between Lynch and Lee at ‘Mania). Bayley versus Lee is certainly ‘dream match’ status (yes, they competed years ago in NXT but you know what I mean) and giving it away on TV is wild enough. We’ll have to wait and see if it’s a match that ends legit or if Lynch will return to make the match be thrown out.
Elsewhere, the brief brawl between Vaquer and Morgan (along with the promo vid) worked fine for a bit of hype. Maxxine Dupri getting some shots back was solid, but the feud with Nattie still does neither of them any favours.
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!
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